Rights Respecting Schools

As introduced as part of our open afternoon last term, Charleston School is currently working towards recognition as a ‘Right Respecting School’- an award given to schools on behalf of Unicef.

Unicef is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights. In1989, governments worldwide promised all children the same rights by adopting the ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’ (UN CRC). These rights are based on what a child needs to survive, grow, participate and fulfil their potential.

The Rights Respecting Schools Award seeks to put the Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s ethos and culture and recognises schools that teach, respect, promote and protect children’s rights. All schools in Aberdeen City are expected to have signed up to the Rights Respecting Schools Award initiative by 2017 and the passing of the ‘Children and Young People’s Act’ (approved by the Scottish Government last year) further emphasises the expectation that all children learn about their rights.

Charleston School has now signed up to Rights Respecting Schools and pupils have been looking at the articles of the UN CRC during assemblies and as part of their Health and Wellbeing work in class. In addition, all primary classes have created a Class Charter based on a number of Articles from the UN CRC. Pupils are learning the importance of these rights and why they are needed, whilst being encouraged to think about how we can all respect the rights of others in the classroom and beyond.

Our aim is to achieve recognition from Unicef by applying for a Recognition of Commitment Award (ROC) by the end of the year and in partnership with pupils, staff, parents/carers and school partners, we will be aiming for a Level 1 Award next year. We have recently created a Rights Respecting Steering Group and are looking to use the school website as a communication tool for our work on Rights Respecting Schools in the near future.

In the meantime, if you would like further information about the Rights Respecting Schools Award please visit www.unicef.org.uk/rights- respecting-schools.