Rights Respecting Schools
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. The initiative started in 2006 and schools involved in the Award have reported a positive impact on relationships and wellbeing, leading to better learning and behaviour, improved academic standards and less bullying. 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, knowledge and understanding of children’s rights, ethos and relationships and the empowerment of children and young people.
There are three levels to the Award:
Bronze: Rights Committed
Silver: Rights Aware
Gold: Rights Respecting
Our 2020-2021 Steering group are:
In addition to our Steering group, we also have two Super Ambassadors. Super Ambassadors is a scheme from the Children’s Commissioner for Wales that aims to promote children’s rights and the UNCRC in schools. Schools are asked to elect two Super Ambassadors at the beginning of every year. Super Ambassadors have three jobs. These are to:
Our Super ambassadors work closely with our Rights Respecting schools Steering Group and the School Council.
Our Super Ambassadors for 2020-2021 are: Brooke Hewings, Niah Roach and Sofie King.
PLAPs (Participation Loving Alien People) are friendly little aliens who have come down from the Planet PLAP to help children participate. Participation has become an important theme, and an increasing requirement, in the delivery of services to children and young people in Wales. Pupil voice is at the heart of the Welsh Assembly Government’s School Effectiveness Framework, and the 2010 Estyn inspection framework lays increased emphasis on how schools listen and respond to the views and needs of pupils as key stakeholders, and involve them in their own learning and development. At its heart, participation is about listening to children, and encouraging them to engage in fun ways,so that they feel valued,respected and involved,regardless of their age, culture or ability.
Top 10 tips from children about participation
1 We want to feel part of what’s going on.
2 Find fun and relevant ways of involving us.
3 Listen to us, and show that you’re interested in us and our ideas.
4 Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
5 Understand what we would like to see happen.
6 Don’t underestimate our ability to have a view and be involved in decision-making.
7 Make sure we feel ‘safe’ emotionally.
8 Let us know what we’ve changed or influenced.
9 Allow us to be involved in ways that suit our different personalities.
10 Say thank you when we contribute ideas or opinions
We are extremely excited to announce that we have gained the Bronze Rights Respecting Schools Award!!! We are now on our way to becoming a Silver Rights Respecting School at St David's CIW Primary.
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
In 1989, governments across the World promised that every child would have the same rights when they adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The convention tells everyone what they must do to make sure that every child can grow, learn, be safe, can be listened to and treated fairly. There are 43 articles relating to children’s rights in the charter. Please see the document below for a summary of the rights.
The ABCDE of Rights
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)
A B C
Rights for ALL children. Rights are there at BIRTH. Rights CANNOT be taken away.
Universal Inherent Inalienable
Rights DO NOT have to be earnt. All rights are EQUALLY important.
Information about Right Respecting Schools
Information about becoming a Rights Respecting School can be found below.