UNCRC – Article 28
Right to Education: Every child has the right to an education. Primary education must be free and different forms of secondary education must be available to every child. Discipline in schools must respect children’s dignity and their rights. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this.
UNCRC – Article 29
Goals of Education: 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’s cultures, and the environment.
At St. Fillan’s Primary School, we are committed to fostering a nurturing environment that prioritises the rights of every child. As a proud Rights Respecting School, we understand the significance of equipping our pupils with knowledge and understanding of their rights as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This holistic approach not only enhances their awareness but also encourages them to advocate for their own rights and the rights of their peers.
This session, we are excited to announce that St. Fillan’s Primary has successfully achieved the Bronze accreditation in our journey towards becoming a fully recognised Rights Respecting School. This accolade is a testament to the exceptional commitment of our staff, pupils, and the wider school community in promoting a culture of respect and understanding. Our Bronze award signifies that we have made considerable progress in embedding children’s rights within our school ethos and operations, and we are thrilled to be on this path of recognition.
Under the guidance and inspired leadership of Mrs. McWilliams, our dedicated Rights Respecting Lead, and our engaged Rights Respecting Committee—comprised of enthusiastic students across various year groups—St. Fillan’s Primary has initiated numerous activities and programmes aimed at bolstering children’s understanding of their rights. Our Rights Respecting Committee plays an invaluable role, acting as a voice for all students and ensuring that their perspectives are integral to our school decision-making processes.
Throughout the academic year, we conduct various activities, workshops, and assemblies to raise awareness regarding children’s rights, as enshrined in the UNCRC. We strive to make every lesson relatable, allowing our pupils to appreciate the relevance of their rights in their daily lives. For instance, discussions surrounding the right to education, the right to play, and the right to be heard are regularly integrated into our curriculum. This not only empowers our students but also imbues them with the understanding that they are active participants in their own learning and wellbeing.
In our pursuit of Silver accreditation, we are eager to build upon the successes we have already achieved. The Silver award will reflect our ongoing commitment to promote and enhance children’s rights across the school, cultivating a safe and inclusive environment for all. We believe that this progression is essential in instilling a sense of responsibility among our pupils, enabling them to become compassionate and socially aware citizens.
Moreover, we recognise that the journey towards becoming a Rights Respecting School is not solely the responsibility of our faculty and the Rights Respecting Committee; rather, it requires the collaborative effort of our entire school community. Consequently, we actively encourage parents and carers to engage with us in our mission. By fostering an open dialogue about children’s rights at home, we can reinforce the principles of respect, empathy, and understanding.
In conclusion, St. Fillan’s Primary School is proud of its achievements as a Rights Respecting School and is excited about the next steps in our journey towards Silver accreditation. Through the dedicated efforts of our staff, pupils, and community members, we are steadfast in our belief that every child should know and understand their rights. Together, we can create an environment that not only respects those rights but also champions them, ensuring that all our pupils feel valued, listened to, and empowered.
Renfrewshire Council is committed to Rights Based Learning for all its young people. The council is also committed to ensuring that each establishment is able to offer a range of opportunities to participate in this aspect of learning. Children’s rights are articulated through the UNCRC and apply to every individual child from birth to the age of 18. We want all children, young people, and adults to understand that these rights are universal, unconditional, and protected.
Rights Based Learning is accessed at St. Fillan’s Primary School throughout the whole life and work that we do within our school community and within the wider community:
- Wellbeing indicators are used in planning and assessment for teaching and learning and are explored with pupils during key points within the school day.
- Rights Based Learning is included in the Annual School Calendar.
- Rights Based Learning is already intrinsically linked within Eco Schools, International Education through Fair Trade, Laudato Si and the work that our Faith brings, Play based Learning opportunities, therefore both the staff and pupils aim to work together on a regular basis to ensure a consistent approach, employing range of skills as well as knowledge and understanding.
- Examples of good practice exists such as Health and Wellbeing approaches, cross-curricular themes/interdisciplinary planning which are pupil centred, enable investigative approaches being developed, open up thinking, explore issues related to social justice and equity, promote respect for diversity and making connections with the wider community.
- Raising awareness of Fairtrade issues, multicultural events, Eco Committee, Junior Road Safety Officers and social Enterprise experiences are all examples for learning about global citizenship and sustainable development.
- Class charters and playground encourage all pupils to always display respectful behaviours to each other.
- The school’s positive ethos and aim to maintain a welcoming, safe, supportive and nurturing environment for pupils, staff, parents/carers, partners and wider community.
- Approaches such as reflection, our shared vision and values, our self evaluation and consultation process, all aim to promote positive, respectful attitudes to oneself and others.
- Development of a whole school and Playground Charter to be shared with staff and pupils.
- Celebrating achievements gained – both in school and out of school – in class, at assemblies, notice boards, newsletters, our school blog, twitter, , SLC Newsletters and local press.
- Themes at assemblies include exploring Rights Based Learning, respecting and celebrating different beliefs and cultures, and promoting social justice and opportunity for all.
Pupils
- Heightening awareness of their own rights, the rights of others and how to behave respectfully in order to promote these rights.
- Awareness of others and their needs and opportunities to contribute ideas and initiate change to whole school developments through our range of pupil groups; Pupil Council, Eco, Fairtrade,
- Responsive planning engages pupils in making choices in their own learning.
- Involvement in whole school campaigns, Fairtrade Fortnight, Health/Literacy week, Charity events, Science Week, Eco Campaign.
- Contribution to creating a positive, friendly, welcoming ethos and develop strong relationships with peers (e.g. roles of responsibility such as monitors, buddying etc).
- Awareness of the impact of words and actions on other and seek ways to include all.
- Celebrate differences rather than targeting those who are different.Â
Parents
- Consultation with parents and engaging them in Rights Based Learning, providing information through newsletters, Spotlight Campaigns, Parent Council, and events throughout the school year.
- By actively involving parents in their children’s learning experiences, we aim to further develop their expertise and knowledge of their child’s development.
Interagency Partnerships
- We strive to build on our excellent partnerships and further develop opportunities to encourage partnerships within our local community and the wider community.
- Active Schools
- Parish of St. Fillan’s
- Home Link
- School Nursing Team
- Men’s Shed
- Bee Happy Houston
- Rotary Club
Information on the work of Renfrewshire Council can be found by clicking on the link below:
https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/12984/What-we-do-to-improve-childrens-rights-in-Renfrewshire
St. Fillan’s Primary school strive to support all of our families, this is done in a number of ways specific to supporting Children’s Rights. The hyper links below have a range of policies and practices that you may find useful.
https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/re/public/stfillans/uploads/sites/2293/2017/08/School-Charter.docx
