Rights Respecting School

At Harris Primary Academy East Dulwich, we completed the first step towards becoming a Rights Respecting School in September 2016 and were awarded the Recognition of Commitment (RoC). We then began working hard to embed the UNCRC across the school and our local community.  In July 2017, we were visited by a UNICEF Rights Respecting School assessor, who met with children, staff and parents.  The outcome of the assessment was a success and we were awarded Level 1 of the ‘Rights Respecting Schools Award’ (RRSA). We are now working towards achieving the Gold level of the Award, which recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. A rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships: between adults and pupils, between adults and between pupils.

We believe that being a Rights Respecting School supports a rich learning environment that places the best interests of the child at the heart of all our policies and practice.  All of our classes now have a learning and rights charter, which ensures our young people are continuously reminded about how their actions contribute to a positive learning environment for everyone.

It is important that children recognise that rights should be respected.  By this we mean; 

• For children: To respect the rights of others.
• For parents: To respect and provide for the rights of their children. To fulfil their roles as duty bearers.
• For adults: To respect and provide the rights of the child. To fulfil their roles as duty bearers.
• For governments: To support families and to respect and provide for the rights of children. To fulfil their roles as duty bearers.

How can parents support their child to learn about the convention at home?

Take the time to ask your child what he/she has learnt recently regarding children’s rights 

• Discuss the ideas learned in class, and try to think of examples from your own experiences, or from the media, of rights being respected or denied
• Discuss how your child or your family can promote respect for rights, or help those whose rights have been violated
• Model using rights language with your children
• Ask your child’s opinion on children’s rights