Two primary schools have been recognised for their work promoting children’s rights.
Kirkbean and New Abbey Partnership Schools have been awarded the silver Rights Respecting School Award by UNICEF UK.
The schools have been working with UNICEF since last year, with the Rights Respecting Schools Award granted to schools that show commitment to promoting and realising children’s rights and encouraging adults, children and young people to respect the rights of others in school.
Silver is given to schools that make excellent progress towards embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into theirits ethos and curriculum. There are more than 1,300 schools across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales that have achieved silver and more than 600 schools that have been awarded gold, the next step up and highest accolade granted by UNICEF.
Principal teacher, Ms Monk, said: “We are extremely proud to have achieved the silver Rights Aware Award so soon after achieving the bronze award. All of our staff work hard to ensure that we embed the rights and articles within our teaching and planning which, in turn, has a positive impact on pupil learning and wellbeing.
“Our children are valued within the partnership and their local communities which is reflected in the support we have from both parents and the wider community.”
The award recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s planning, policies and practice. A Rights Respecting School is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted.
UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools programme director, Frances Bestley, said: “Children at the Kirkbean and New Abbey Partnership Schools have shown a really good grasp of the convention and a strong understanding of the wider world. It is great to see how much the convention underpins the school’s work and values, in the classroom and at playtime.
