We have achieved our Bronze Award: Rights Committed!

This is the first stage of the Rights Respecting Schools Award. The RRS Group will work with Miss French to lead the school in achieving our Silver Award.

What is the Rights Respecting Schools Award?

The Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) supports schools across the UK to embed children’s human rights in their ethos and culture.

The award recognises achievement in putting the UN Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC) at the heart of a school’s practice to improve well-being and help all children realise their potential.

The award is based on principles of equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation.

The initiative started in 2006 and schools involved in the Award have reported a positive impact on relationships and well-being, leading to better learning and behaviour, improved academic standards and less bullying.

What Does the Award Involve?

The Right Respecting Schools Award recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos.

For a school to receive accreditation, it must evidence that it has reached the three RRSA Strands.

• Strand A: Teaching and learning about rights
• Strand B: Teaching and learning through rights – ethos and relationships
• Strand C: Teaching and learning for rights – participation, empowerment and action

Schools involved in the Rights Respecting Schools Award work towards three levels;

• Bronze – Rights Committed: Rights Committed is the first stage of the Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA). To find out more about the Bronze Award click here.
• Silver – Rights Aware: Rights Aware is the second stage of the Rights Respecting Schools Award (after Bronze: Rights Committed).  To find out more about the Silver award click here.
• Gold – Rights Respecting: Rights Respecting is the highest stage of the Rights Respecting Schools Award (after Bronze: Rights Committed and Silver: Rights Aware). It is granted by Unicef UK to schools that have fully embedded children’s rights throughout the school in its policies, practice and ethos, as outlined in the three RRSA Strands.  To find out more about Gold award click here.

What's Next for Harwood Park?

Now that we have been awarded the Bronze – Rights Committed Award, the next step is to work towards achieving the Silver – Rights Aware Award.

Achieving Silver: Rights Aware means there is evidence that:

• Harwood Park is explicitly embedding the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in our policy, practice and culture
• Harwood Park is promoting knowledge and understanding of the Convention throughout your school community
• Harwood Park is putting into action and developing the plans outlined on our Action Plan for Silver, which was submitted to achieve our Bronze: Rights Committed Award
• Harwood Park is beginning to see the positive impact of these actions our children, staff, and on our school’s ethos, practice and environment
• Harwood Park pupils are beginning to see themselves as rights respecting global citizens and advocates for fairness and children’s rights, both locally and globally

For further information about Rights Respecting Schools please visit:  www.unicef.org.uk/rrsa or speak to your child's teacher, a member of the senior leadership team or our RRSA coordinator, Miss French.