Right Respecting Schools (RRS)

UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights. In 1989, governments worldwide promised all children the same rights by adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). These rights are based on what a child needs to survive, grow, participate and fulfil their potential.

https://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/

Why is Gainsborough involved in the Rights Respecting School Award?

The Rights Respecting Schools Award programme supports schools to embed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC or CRC) in their practice to improve well-being and help all children realise their potential.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is based on an analysis of what children need in order to thrive. These needs can be grouped into four categories:

• To survive as a fit and healthy person

• To be protected from harm and abuse
• To develop physically, mentally and socially
• To participate as an active citizen

How do we promote the Rights of the Child across the school?

Each year children apply to become a Rights Respecting Ambassador for their class. Pupils nominate two of their classmates to take on this role.

The ambassadors join with teachers and parents to form a steering group which meet to decide further actions the school can take to fully support the Rights of Children.

The RRS ambassadors take part in delivering assemblies, feeding back to their class and organising events in support of Rights.

At the start of the academic year each class creates a class charter which is referred to over the course of the year. These charters are on the classroom walls and are based on our rights and responsibilities at school, how we should behave and how we should behave towards others.

(pictures of class charters)

Each half term we have a focus on a particular Right that links to our whole school theme and Keep, this is discussed during assemblies and in class. These are some of the rights that we have focused on over the years

Article 12: Every child has the right to say what they think in all matters affecting them, and to have their views taken seriously.

Article 13: Every child must be free to say what they think and to seek and receive information of any kind as long as it is within the law.

Article 28: Every child has the right to an education. Primary education must be free.  Secondary education must be available to every child.  Discipline in schools must respect children’s human dignity.  Wealthy countries must help poorer countries achieve this.

Article 29: Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full.  It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and the environment.

What has Gainsborough achieved in the programme?

Schools involved in the Rights Respecting Schools Award work towards recognition that they have embedded children’s rights in their school’s practice and ethos. Schools are required to implement four evidence-based standards that cover:

• the leadership of the school,
• knowledge and understanding of children’s rights,
• ethos and relationships
• the empowerment of children.

We are now a Silver Rights Respecting School.

Achieving Silver Rights Aware means there is evidence that:

• we are explicitly embedding the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in our policy, practice and culture
• we are promoting knowledge and understanding of the Convention throughout our school community
• we are putting into action and developing the plans outlined on your Action Plan for Silver, which we submitted to achieve our Bronze: Rights Committed
• we are beginning to see the positive impact of these actions on children and young people, staff, and on the school’s ethos, practice and environment
• Children and young people are beginning to see themselves as rights respecting global citizens and advocates for fairness and children’s rights, both locally and globally