Rights Respecting School Gold Award for Stanley Grove

Congratulations to the whole school community at Stanley Grove who are celebrating achieving the Rights Respecting School Gold Award.

The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) works with schools in the UK to create safe and inspiring places to learn, where children are respected, their talents are nurtured, and they are able to thrive. The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) embeds these values in daily school life and gives children the best chance to lead happy, healthy lives and to be responsible, active citizens. The Award recognises a school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice within the school and beyond.

As part of the journey to achieving Gold, schools are assessed by an RRSA Professional Adviser who look at the whole school’s rights respecting work and the impact that has been made through embedding children’s rights into school life.

Martin Russell, RRSA Senior Professional Adviser, commented: “Thank you very much for hosting my visit last month. It was a pleasure to spend time in your school and to see the extent to which children’s rights are promoted, valued and lived. Please pass on our congratulations to your pupils, colleagues and parents for their contribution and commitment to RRSA.”

During the visit, Martin spoke with staff, students and parents. Here are just some of the positive comments shared by students:

“It is important that we know all our rights because they are there to make is safe”

“We celebrate everyone’s culture as this shows dignity”

“Equality in our school means no favouritism”

“Some people with special needs may get more help – that’s equity”

Principal, Mrs Footman, enthused: “We are so proud to have achieved this Gold Award. We feel that children’s rights are essential to education and now RRSA is firmly part of our school identity.

“At first, we were teaching the children about their rights, but now they really own them and it’s made them want to be involved and to really participate. At Stanley Grove, we value working with our families and community to improve our children’s access to activities and involve everyone in their child’s education. I would like to thank our school community but must also mention both Mrs Begum and Mrs McDougall, and our School Rights Respecting Ambassadors who have all done an amazing job.”

The following strengths of Stanley Grove were highlighted by RRSA:

• There is an excellent knowledge of rights across the school community and children use the language around rights in a mature and reflective way.
• A strong and enthusiastic commitment to children’s rights and to RRSA from leaders at all levels, including the Local Academy Board, tied into the vision and values of the school.
• A clear strategic approach to embedding children’s rights in school life with the Convention serving as a driver for academy improvement.
• A school with inclusion at its heart, where pupils feel safe and secure and are articulate about the importance of knowing about children’s rights, the difference this makes to their lives and their desire and determination to help realise these rights for others

Stanley Grove enrolled on UNICEF’s Rights Respecting School programme in 2016 with students, staff and families working together to achieve the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.

You can learn more about Stanley Grove’s RRSA Journey here: https://www.sgpa.bright-futures.co.uk/life-at-school/rights-respecting-schools-award/

You can learn more about RRSA here: https://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/