Valence Primary School in Dagenham has been honoured with the highest accolade in UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting Schools Award programme. The school has been awarded Gold: Rights Respecting status, recognising its outstanding commitment to placing children’s rights at the heart of school life.
The Gold Award is the highest accolade presented by UNICEF UK. It acknowledges schools that have embedded the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child throughout their culture, policies and day-to-day practice.
The achievement is the result of several years of dedicated work by pupils, staff and families. Since joining the UNICEF UK programme in 2022, Valence Primary School has championed children’s rights through initiatives including Rights Ambassadors, Rights Charters, Article of the Month activities and a wide range of pupil leadership opportunities.
Councillor Jane Jones, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Education and Schools, said: “We are delighted to congratulate Valence Primary School on achieving UNICEF UK’s Gold Rights Respecting Schools Award. This prestigious recognition reflects the school’s unwavering commitment to ensuring every child feels valued, heard and respected.
“Barking and Dagenham is committed to giving every child the best possible start in life, and Valence Primary School is a fantastic example of how schools across the borough are creating environments where children can thrive, develop confidence and actively shape their communities.”
Headteacher Richard November said: “We are incredibly proud to receive the UNICEF UK Gold Award. This is a fantastic achievement for our whole school community and recognises the commitment of our children, staff and families to creating a school where every child is valued, respected, listened to and encouraged to have a voice.”
UNICEF UK praised the school for creating an inclusive environment where children feel safe and valued, while also highlighting pupils’ strong understanding of children’s rights, social justice and their participation in school decision-making.
The Gold award is the latest in a run of positive stories for London’s schools, which have recently bucked the national decline in GCSE language learning. The news also comes as Barking and Dagenham continues work to improve school life across the borough, including a newly approved parking strategy with more school streets and a CCTV crackdown on dangerous parking. Elsewhere in the capital, young learners have benefited from a Hammersmith & Fulham campaign to put a book in every primary pupil’s hands.
