UNICEF
Paddock School is very proud to be a Rights Respecting School. We were one of the first Special Schools in the UK to achieve Level 2 of the UNICEF Rights Respecting School's Award.
The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. As a rights-respecting school we teach about children’s rights and also model rights and respect in all our relationships: between teachers/adults and pupils, between adults and between pupils.
What does it mean for Paddock School?
Being a Level 2 Rights Respecting School is very important to our school. All classes have a class charter, which outlines the rights that are important for each class. We have an 'Article of the Month' which is displayed in each class and around the school and is discussed in the weekly assembly when we all come together as a Rights Respecting Community. We enjoy celebrating 'UNICEF Day for Change' every year and have a UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Week every year. All our planning, policies, staff induction and our school's vision and values are related to the UNCRC.
Who is the Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) for?
The RRSA is a UK-wide initiative for all children and all those working with or for children in
formal education. It is being successfully implemented in all settings – Primary, Secondary, Special Needs and Pupil Referral Units – across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What impact does the RRSA have?
A three year qualitative study by researchers at the Universities of Sussex and Brighton found that "The RRSA has had a profound effect on the majority of the schools involved in the programme." Being a UNICEF school has had great impact on our pupils and on our school and helps us to live out our vision 'To nurture, inspire and transform lives.'
RRSA and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
The universality of the CRC provides a clear link for pupils between building up their rights-respecting school, understanding their rights and the need for children’s rights to be realised everywhere. Children and young people in rights-respecting schools develop a stronger sense of the need to act for global justice.
If you are interested in finding out more about this award, and want to find out what we do, and why it makes such a difference to our school, please contact us and you are most welcome to come and visit us. We are happy to share our UNICEF journey and would highly recommend it!
Also, click on the link below to contact UNICEF to find out more about the award. We think that all schools should be UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools!!