Rights Respecting Schools
Unicef have awarded Coopers Lane School with GOLD Rights Respecting Schools Award (November 2020).
What is the Rights Respecting Schools Award?
The Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) supports schools across the UK to embed human rights in their ethos and culture. The award recognises achievement in putting the UN Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC) at the heart of a school’s practice to improve well-being and help all children realise their potential.
The initiative started in 2006 and schools involved in the Award have reported a positive impact on relationships and well-being, leading to better learning and behaviour, improved academic standards and less bullying.
What does the Award involve?
Schools involved in the Rights Respecting Schools Award work towards recognition that they have embedded children’s rights in their school’s practice and ethos. Schools are required to implement three strands that cover teaching and learning about the rights, through the rights and for the rights.
Strand A: Teaching and learning about rights
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is made known to children, young people and adults, who use this shared understanding to work for improved child wellbeing, school improvement, global justice and sustainable living.
Strand B: Teaching and learning through rights – ethos and relationships
Actions and decisions affecting children are rooted in, reviewed and resolved through rights. Children, young people and adults collaborate to develop and maintain a school community based on equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation; this includes learning and teaching in a way that respects the rights of both educators and learners and promotes wellbeing.
Strand C: Teaching and learning for rights – participation, empowerment and action
Children are empowered to enjoy and exercise their rights and to promote the rights of others locally and globally. Duty bearers are accountable for ensuring that children experience their rights.
The Gold Rights Respecting Schools Award is the highest level of the Award. It is granted by Unicef UK to schools that have fully embedded children’s rights throughout the school in its policies, practice and ethos.
Achieving GOLD means there is evidence that:
1 Children, young people and the wider school community know about and understand the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and can describe how it impacts on their lives and on the lives of children everywhere.
2 Actions and decisions affecting children are rooted in, reviewed and resolved through rights. Children, young people and adults collaborate to develop and maintain a school community based on equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation; this includes learning and teaching in a way that respects the rights of both educators and learners and promotes well being.
3 Children are empowered to enjoy and exercise their rights and to promote the rights of others locally and globally. Duty bearers are accountable for ensuring that children experience their rights.
We are very proud to have achieved GOLD and you can read the full report from Unicef here:
What do our staff think?
“Teaching the children about their rights has been an enjoyable experience which the children have been highly engaged in. It has been important to educate the children on their rights so they can understand their place in the world around them, their entitlements and what is and is not acceptable.”
“It has taught them how to become global citizens and taught them that their choices and actions have consequences and that they can change the world by working together.”
What do our children think?
“Learning about my rights has made me feel safe because I know someone is protecting me.”
“These lessons have inspired me to make changes, for example using the car less and being careful about leaving the lights on.”
“I think I can locally help change and start slow, then I will expand from Lewisham to London and then to the whole world (with help).”