The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. A rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships: between teachers / adults and pupils, between adults and between pupils.
We have just embarked upon our Rights Respecting Journey and have this term begun to work with the children to ensure they understand more about UNICEF’s Rights of the Child. Our Rights Respecting Steering Group has been established and the members include staff, parents, children and our local Community Police Officer. They have worked together to select the eight rights we, as a whole school, will focus upon this year. These are:
Article 8 – the right to a name and nationality
Article 12: the right to say what you think should happen and be listened to
Article 14: the right to follow your own religion
Article 15: the right to meet your friends and join clubs
Article 24: the right to good food and water, to see a doctor if you are ill and to live in a clean environment
Article 28: the right to learn and go to school
Article 29: the right to be the best you can be while respecting others
Article 31: the right to relax and play
Each class has also created their ‘Class Charter’ with an emphasis upon the rights the children feel they should have in the classroom and the role they must play to achieve it. The following pictures show the decisions made by the children in each year group.