Rights Respecting Schools – UNCRC
What is a Rights Respecting School?
From UNICEF:
The Rights Respecting Schools Award puts children’s rights at the heart of school life in the UK.
The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) works with schools in the UK to create safe and inspiring places to learn, where children are respected, their talents are nurtured and they are able to thrive. Our Rights Respecting Schools Award embeds these values in daily school life and gives children the best chance to lead happy, healthy lives and to be responsible, active citizens.
The Award recognises a school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice within the school and beyond.
Together the school community learn about children’s rights, putting them into practice every day. The Award is not just about what children do but also, importantly, what adults do. In Rights Respecting Schools children’s rights are promoted and realised.
There are four key areas of impact for children at a Rights Respecting school; wellbeing, participation, relationships and self-esteem.
The difference that a Rights Respecting School makes goes beyond the school gates, making a positive impact on the whole community.
- Children are healthier and happier
- Children feel safe
- Children have better relationships
- Children become active and involved in school life and the wider world
ABCDE of Rights
From UNICEF:
Rights are for all children and young people throughout the world (universal), are there at birth (inherent), cannot be taken away (inalienable), do not come with any conditions attached to them (unconditional) and are all equally important (indivisible).
Learning about the nature of rights helps to ensure that the language used about rights is both accurate and informed. In this way, a consistent narrative about rights is established across the whole school community.
Rosslyn School Charter
At Rosslyn we decided that a whole school charter best suited our school community, highlighting the rights that we felt were most important to us all. Our charter illustrates our dedication to ensure these rights are recognised and embedded throughout our school community. Our charter now links to our Rosslyn self-esteem guidelines that is used throughout the school.
“Charters make rights real and provide a framework for a positive environment where rights are respected, protected and promoted.” UNICEF
