APSOL is a Rights Respecting School
A Unicef UK Rights Respecting School is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted.
Children and young people and the school community learn about children’s rights by putting them into practice every day.
At APSoL, we have embarked on the Unicef Rights Respecting School journey and will be encouraging children to take an active role in the promotion of children’s rights.
There are four key areas of impact for children at a Rights Respecting school; wellbeing, participation, relationships and self-esteem.
The difference that a Rights Respecting School makes goes beyond the school gates, making a positive impact on the whole community.
- Children are healthier and happier
- Children feel safe
- Children have better relationships
- Children become active and involved in school life and the wider world
UNICEF has shown that when children are taught about their rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, they are more respectful of the rights of others and may show this through:
- Improved self-esteem and feelings of being valued and listened to.
- Increased levels of respect for each other, leading to improved relationships with other pupils and with staff.
- A sense of security as rights-respecting language and behaviour is used consistently throughout the school.
- Improved attainment and attendance, and a reduction in exclusions.
- An understanding and respect of religions, cultures, beliefs and abilities different to their own.
- A wider and deeper understanding of the world in which they live.
At APSoL, we want all our children to become mindful global citizens, able to discuss the big issues facing the world today, from the refugee crisis to climate change.
The aim of becoming a Unicef Rights Respecting school is so that together, our children and the school community, learn about children’s rights, putting them into practice every day. The Award is not just about what children do but also, importantly, what adults do. In Rights Respecting Schools children’s rights are promoted and realised, adults and children work towards this goal together.
Our Unicef Rights Respecting school journey so far:
February 2022 – Registered as a rights respecting school
June 2022 – Launch of Unicef Rights Respecting School – introduce children and school community to the Convention
September 2022 – elected our Article 12 Group (children from Year 1 and Year2 to represent class voice)
Initiate our journey to Bronze Award.
September 2022 – Curriculum overviews include Unicef Articles children learn in depth about in each year group as well as Global Goals in the summer term.
What we already do as a school that supports the UN Convention of Children’s Rights:
- Class charters – Jigsaw, our PSHE programme supports the wellbeing and development of the child as a citizen through its mindful approach. The children create classroom charters at the beginning of the academic year, with a set of rights they have created and displayed in the classroom.
- Curriculum – To complement our journey of the Rights Respecting work, we integrate opportunities for teaching and learning about Global developments and issues. The aim of this work is to equip our pupils with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that they need to make a positive contribution within and beyond the school gates
Click to access Our-rights_UNCRC.pdf
You can also have a look at our curriculum overviews in our Learning section to find out which articles children learn about in depth as part of their curriculum and the Global Goals focus for the summer term.
British Values
APSoL recognises the multi-cultural nature of the United Kingdom and understands the crucial role it plays in promoting the four British Values agreed by Government and Ofsted. Below are some of the ways in which these values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths are promoted.
DfE Guindance – promoting British Values – SMSC
