Rights Respecting School Award

RRSA

St. Mary’s, supported by its nurturing Christian ethos, aims to be a school where every aspect of the child is developed, including the area of well-being. As a school that strives to develop a love of learning within a safe and happy environment in which every person matters, we are working towards recognition as a ‘Rights Respecting School’. This is an award which is given to schools on behalf of UNICEF.

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 United Nation’s 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.

The UNICEF UK Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA) will help our pupils to grow into confident, caring and responsible young citizens both in school and within the wider community. A rights respecting school is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted. By learning about their rights our pupils, your children, also learn about the importance of respecting the rights of others.

Beginning our RRSA journey…

Our pupils are encouraged to reflect on how their behaviour and actions affect those around them, which allows us to build and maintain a positive and safe learning environment for all, both in the classroom and around the school site.

Pupils have already started to learn about the convention and their rights and responsibilities through assemblies and in class. In consultation with pupils and staff at all levels, our classroom rules and expectations have been re-written to form charters, which outline expectations in the classroom based upon the Rights of a Child. Below is one of our class charters:

Each class has a class charter and you can view them in the relevant class pages found in Class Focus of our Pupil section on this website:

⇒ Class Focus

To help lead and monitor our progress towards the award for a Rights Respecting School a steering committee consisting of pupils and staff has been established. This committee will meet to put a plan of action together to demonstrate our commitment to the RRSA and we really hope that you will feel able to support us and your child in working towards our goal of being a Rights Respecting School.

It would be great if you could spend a few minutes reading through a summary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by clicking the link below:

⇒ UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Further information

If you would like more information about the UNICEF Rights Respecting School Award then please visit:

⇒ UNICEF RRSA

If you would like paper copies of any information, policy or document found on our website please contact the school office and a member of staff will be happy to arrange this for you free of charge.