Rights Respecting Schools Award

A charter is a collaborative visual document that establishes an agreed set of rights-based principles upon which relationships can be based and which provide a language for shared values. Creating charters can support a positive learning environment for children and young people the classroom, across the whole school, in the playground or in specific departments or other areas within the school context.

‘Creating a charter helps to make the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) more prominent and relevant.’ - UNICEF

At Ark Brunel we establish our class charters together as a class at the start every academic year to ensure that our classrooms are a place where children’s rights are respected and update them every term. Adults (Duty-bearers) and Children (Rights-holders) make pledges to explain how they are going to use the UN Convention within school (and home) life.

Honesty- I am honest when mine or someone’s rights are / are not being met.

Enthusiasm - I enthusiastically embrace my rights as well as advocate for the rights of others.

Ambition - I am ambitious in striving to ensure our school receives the Gold award.

Resilience- I am aware that although rights are universal and unconditional, some rights cannot always be exercised and I need to be resilient when that is the case.

Thought - I show thought by raising awareness for children’s universal and unconditional rights within school, the community and globally.

Article 12 (respect for the views of the child)- Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously.

Pupil Voice is very important at Ark Brunel, therefore we have a RRSA steering group who lead the schools’ rights respecting work and represent children’s voices. Our ambassadors are elected at the start of each academic year and are representatives of their class and the school. They meet regularly to address issues that have been raised by children whilst also helping influence and drive change throughout the school and community (both local and global).    

Our ambassadors meet regularly to:

• Develop and deliver the school’s goals and rights respecting action plan.
• Regularly listen to pupils and feedback to the school community about progress.
• Ensure that the whole school is aware of the Rights Respecting Schools Award.
• Provide a link between children and young people, teachers, senior management team, governors, and the whole school community.