A primary school has been given a prestigious award recognising its commitment to children’s rights.

Whitefield Community Primary School on Victoria Avenue is the second borough school to be awarded Gold by UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting School programme.

The programme recognises schools that create safe, inspiring places to learn where children can thrive.

It is the first mainstream borough school to achieve the award, and the second school after Millwood Primary School in Radcliffe which received Gold status in 2022.

The school has been working with UNICEF UK since September 2019. They received their Silver certificate in November 2021.

Whitefield Community will be awarded with the Gold certificate to mark their achievement at an event in school on Friday, May, 2.

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Head teacher Katy Dickson said: “We are unbelievably proud of our achievement as the first mainstream primary school in Bury to achieve this accolade.

"Working towards gold has encouraged all members of the school community to always ensure that the children are at the heart of our work, planning and decision making.

“As duty bearers we are committed to teaching, learning, respecting, practising, protecting and promoting the rights of children, weaving them through all of our strategic and day to day work.

"We have also supported other local schools on their journey, as we believe in this project for children in our own school but also, for all children.

“As a school we believe in opportunity for all and preparing children for real life and the world beyond the school gates.

“I would like to thank all stakeholders for their commitment and dedication during this journey, with particular thanks to Katya Dearing, our deputy head teacher, our staff team and mostly, our incredible children who embraced this learning and apply it each and every day.”

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There are more than 600 schools across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales that have struck gold.

Kelly Macadam, CEO of The Collective Community Trust which runs the school, added: ‘What an amazing achievement for Whitefield Community Primary School being the first mainstream primary school in Bury to achieve this prestigious award.

"It is most certainly deserved. The children are central to everything that goes on at Whitefield.

"This is an exceptionally proud moment for both the school and the trust. I would like to say a huge well done to the whole school team."