Rights Respecting Schools
Rights Respecting Schools Award
What is the focus of the award?
The Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools award supports schools across the UK to embed children's human rights in their ethos and culture.
The award recognises achievement in putting the UN Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school's practice to improve wellbeing and help all children and young people realise their potential.
The award is based on principles of equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation.
What does the award involve?
Schools involved in the Rights Respecting Schools Award work towards the recognition that they have embedded children and young people's rights in their school's practice and ethos. Schools are required to implement three evidence-based strands that cover the leadership of the school. The strands are knowledge and understanding of children's rights, ethos and relationships and the empowerment of children and young people.
There are three award levels:
Bronze: Rights Committed
Silver: Rights Aware
Gold: Rights Respecting
What impact does it have?
On the school
- RRSA provides an overarching set of values that improve the climate for learning and within which other initiatives can sit
- A deeper and more cohesive way of working.
- Improved relationships with pupils and a reduced hierarchical divide between staff and pupils, due to a common rights respecting language
On children
- Improved self esteem and feelings of being valued and listened to
- Increased levels of respect for each other, leading to improved relationships with other pupils and with staff
- A sense of security as rights-respecting language and behaviour is used consistently throughout the school
- An understanding and respect of religions, cultures, beliefs and abilities different to their own
- A wider and deeper understanding of the world in which they live
On adults
- Strengthened collaborative working
- Increased consultative approach with other adults and pupils
- A sense of ownership in developing and approach that meets the needs and aspirations of the school as a whole
- A sense that the whole school is working towards a common goal, leading to feelings of empowerment for both staff and pupils
- A platform is developed for parental engagement and discussion
RRSA in An Daras Schools
The children collaborate to create charters for different aspects of schools life. Below are some examples of charters.
Academy Charter
Staying Safe
Article 19: You have the right to be protected from being hurt in body and in mind.
Our rights respecting actions:
▪ To be considerate to others’ feelings
▪ To play safely, include others and solve problems calmly
▪ To tell an adult if feeling unsafe or are upset
Learning
Article 28: To have the right to a good quality education. You should be encouraged to go to school to the highest level you can.
Article 29: Your education should help you to use and develop your talents and abilities.
Our rights respecting actions:
▪ To be prepared and willing to learn
▪ To be resilient in our learning
▪ To help and support other children to learn
Respect
Article 12: You have the right to give your opinion and for adults to take it seriously. Article 24: You have the right to a clean and safe environment.
Our rights respecting actions:
▪ To respect our clean and tidy environment and help to improve it
▪ To listen to other people’s opinions and try to understand their viewpoints
Visitors Charter
The children welcome you to our Academy. As a visitor, you can expect all of the children to behave with respect and good manners at all times. In return, we ask that you:
▪ Park safely and sensibly outside our school in the car park and to close the school main entrance gates behind you
▪ Move quietly around the school, especially near our classrooms. We have a right to a quiet learning environment
▪ Listen when we speak to you and speak to us in a polite way. We have a right to have our views and opinions heard
▪ Look after our resources and building and respect our right for a purposeful learning environment
▪ Make sure any equipment you use is put back safely and tidy up after yourself. We have a right to be safe
Thank you and have a lovely time at our academy