We are proud to be a Gold Rights Respecting School.

RRSA Gold Award Re-accreditation Report

We are delighted that we have been accredited with this prestigious award by UNICEF, a leading organisation supporting children and their rights across the world. It supports schools across the UK to embed human rights in their ethos and culture. The award recognises achievement in putting the UNCRC at the heart of the schools practice to improve well-being and help all children realise their potential.

It recognises the work that duty-bearers; teachers, staff and other adults, do to ensure that all children can access their rights as defined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

A rights respecting school not only teaches about childrens rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships: between teachers/adults and pupils, between adults and between pupils.

Achieving GOLD means there is evidence that:

Children and the wider school community know about and understand the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and can describe how it impacts on their lives and on the lives of children everywhere.

Actions and decisions affecting children are rooted in, reviewed and resolved through rights. Children and adults collaborate to develop and maintain a school community based on equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation.

Children are empowered to enjoy and exercise their rights and to promote the rights of others locally and globally.

The Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA) helps our children grow into thoughtful, respectful and responsible young members of the school and wider community. By learning about their rights, our children also learn about the importance of respecting the rights of others.

The UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) runs throughout the life of St Mary & St Thomas and is referenced in all of our policies, lessons and strategic planning.

At St Mary & St Thomas CE School both staff and children are passionate about upholding the rights of children. As duty bearers, the staff ensure that childrens rights are referenced in policies as they are updated, and we regularly introduce key initiatives to focus on upholding the childrens rights.

As rights holders, the views of the children are very important to us and the UNCRC focuses our discussions with the school council. The childrens ideas are raised with the staff and are put into practice.

We have witnessed that this award has a really positive influence on the school community, including:

• Improved self-esteem and wellbeing
• Improved relationships and behaviour
• Improved engagement in learning
• Positive attitudes towards diversity in society and the reduction in prejudice
• Childrens enhanced moral understanding and support for global justice
• Children becoming more involved in decision making in school.