UNICEF

 A UNICEF Rights Respecting School

 At Chilcote we promote children’s rights and work closely with UNICEF to learn about the Articles which are contained within the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). We foster an appreciation for the earth’s resources and consider the future of the planet for everyone through the 17 Global Goals.

The children and their rights are at the centre of all we do. Pupils are involved in strategic decision-making; in decisions about their learning; and in views about their well-being.

At Chilcote, pupils have a thorough understanding of rights, and see themselves as rights respecting global citizens.

The school are well on our way to gaining the UNICEF Rights Respecting School Gold Award. Some of the changes we have made to our school already 2018- 2019 include:

• Our weekly, whole school and phase assemblies relate to the articles
• The school has a 'right of the month' which is celebrated
• The displays in our halls and classrooms show articles
• Learning about the 17 global goals is evident in displays
• Food and money continue to be donated to various causes.
• Letters have been written to MPs and to the Mayor of Birmingham,
• to express opinions and raise awareness,
• Pupils have joined debates and spoken out to raise awareness.
• We held an outreach Big Debate in October2018, which allowed pupils to debate the motion "Should we ban plastic?"
• Curriculum areas promote children’s rights
• Each class has developed its own class charter
• Rights Days are held throughout the academic year.
• The weekly parent newsletter has an article related to the 'right of the month
• The shoe box appeal raised over 60 shoe boxes full of vitals for the local homeless
• Over £1000 was raised for the charities selected by our pupils in 2018,
• Already this academic year (2018/2019) the school has raised funds to support charities chosen by the pupils.

Rights Respecting School - More about the award!

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

What is the Rights Respecting School Award?

The Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA) is an initiative run by UNICEF UK, which encourages schools to place the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of its ethos and curriculum.

To achieve this award, staff, parents and pupils need to have an understanding of the Articles which make up the Convention and know how they can use these articles in their daily lives.

For further information, please see

https://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/

To enable school to achieve this award, we will be:

• Teaching the children the Articles and the meaning of them;
• Working with the children to promote the Articles in a way that is meaningful to them;
• Displaying the Articles around school and in classrooms to reinforce the meaning;
• Talking about the Articles in lessons such as PSHE, Topic, English and whenever they can link to the subject being taught;
• Including the aims of the Convention in our policies;
• Sharing the values of the Convention through our assemblies.

What are the Articles?

https://www.unicef.org/rightsite/files/uncrcchilldfriendlylanguage.pdf

How can it make a difference?

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 (UNCRC) at the heart of a school’s practice to improve well-being 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 well-being, leading to better learning and behaviour, with improved academic standards.

Class Charters

All children contribute to creating a charter (or agreement) based on the rights that were most important to them as a class. As a result, Class Charters are personalised and negotiated.

DISPLAYS

Our Rights Respecting displays throughout the school reflect the shared values and principles of the UNCRC