We achieved the UNICEF Silver Rights Respecting Schools Award in June 2017 and our children continue to learn about some of the Articles (Rights) from the CRC.
What is CRC?
In 1989 world leaders agreed a set of promises to ensure all children are fed, vaccinated, educated and protected. This is known as the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC). It has inspired amendments in laws to protect children and has changed the way organisations work around the world especially during times of conflict and emergencies.
How do children learn about the CRC Rights of the child?
At Cockton Hill Infants’ School we aim to make sure that all children and adults have an understanding of the CRC. We help children to learn about their Rights and how to respect the Rights of all children. An important part of the work we do is to make children aware that they need to ensure everyone in our school, the wider community and throughout the world has the opportunity to enjoy their rights. This means we remind children that their behaviour has an impact on the rights of others. This might be within the classroom environment, at playtime or in relation to global issues.
They learn about the Rights of the child as part of the curriculum in their classes and through assemblies. It is also an integral part of daily life in school.
- Children from our Rights Respecting School Council often choose a Right for each year group to focus on. For example :
Yr 2 have worked on the Right to be safe.
Yr1 have worked on the Right to come to school.
Early Years have worked on the Right to Play.
- Each class create their own Class Charter to highlight some of the Rights and remind everyone how to respect them.
- Posters have been displayed around school to remind us about the rights.
- Our Rights Respecting School Council help to ensure classes are learning about the Rights and that the Articles are on displays.
What else happens to support our work on Children’s Rights?
- Each class has a Rights Respecting bear for children to take turns to bring home for the night. The children help the bear to enjoy a Right e.g. the Right to Play or the Right to have a Healthy Meal. Drawings, writing or photos can be sent back into school to be shared with others.
- We take part in UNICEF’s Day for Change where we collect small change. The challenge is to collect as much money as possible to send to UNICEF to be used to help children across the world who may not be having their Rights met due to war or disasters.
- We celebrate Fairtrade Week every year which teaches children about the need for farmers abroad to get a fair price for the things they grow so they can feed their families. The children love collecting items displaying the Fairtrade symbol.
- In November we participate in the “shoebox appeal” where we fill shoeboxes with basic items and treats to be sent abroad to very poor or war torn areas.
- Throughout the year we participate in other charity fundraising events e.g. raising money for Water Aid, Save the Children, Children in Need.
You can view our Rights Respecting School Blog to view some of the tasks we have done in school.
If you are interested to find out more about the work UNICEF does please visit www.UNICEF.org
