Rights Respecting School

We are a Rights Respecting School

Alexandra Infant School (AIS) is a school where children’s rights are at the heart of our ethos and culture, to improve well-being and to develop every individual child’s ability and talents to their full potential.  We are proud to be a ‘Rights Respecting School’, and to have achieved our ‘Gold Rights Respecting’ award in November 2024, given to schools on behalf of UNICEF UK.

At AIS children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted with clear links to Global Citizenship.  Children are confident when talking about their rights and know that their voice and opinions matter. 

Each year the children elect Rights Respecters / School Councillors from each class to provide a voice for the children at AIS.  The children meet regularly with Miss Hills and Miss Cenayko and are proactive in improving life for children in the school by raising any concerns and discussing their ideas.  We respect the views and contributions made by our Rights Respecters/School Councillors and aim to use these to make improvements to the school whenever possible.

Over the last year the Rights Respecters/School Council members have been working hard to ensure every member of our school community is aware of children’s rights. They have done this through assemblies, voting on school projects and priorities such as the Reading Cabin, new playground equipment and food choices at lunchtime.  In addition, they have supported the school in raising money for local and national charities! 

Who are UNICEF?

UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and young people and their rights. In 1989, governments across the world agreed that all children have the same rights by adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). These rights are based on what a child needs to survive, grow, participate and fulfil their potential.

Rights at AIS

A Rights Respecting School models rights and respect in all its relationships.  Children learn about their rights by putting them into practise every day.  The following four rights are displayed in each classroom, as well as a whole school display.  However, we make links to the other Rights Articles to deepen and widen children’s knowledge and understanding of these.

The right to be respected

The right to learn

The right to be safe

The right to play

To support inclusion and communication for all we use Makaton to sign our rights and have created visuals to support this.  Please practise these at home too!

ABCDE of Children’s Rights

Rights are for all children and young people throughout the world (universal), are there at birth (inherent), cannot be taken away (inalienable), do not come with any conditions attached to them (unconditional) and are all equally important (indivisible). Whilst there is not an expectation that the children necessarily know the actual words that define these features of rights, it is important that they understand the meaning of them.   ‘The ABCDE of Children’s Rights’ is one way that can help children learn about the nature of rights and these are displayed around the school, as well as classrooms.

Our Rights Charters

Each year, we spend time at Alexandra Infant School discussing with our classmates what our Class Charter will look like and what it will focus on.  Each class produces a Class Charter and displays it in their classroom.  We enjoy creating these each year. We also have Rights Charters for our playgrounds, so everyone understands ‘respect for rights’.

How to help at home

Support your child at home with their ‘Building Life Skills – I can do it challenges!’  These link to children’s rights, supporting global citizenship and well-being, as well as developing independence and confidence in their abilities. 

Please talk to your child / children about the Rights Articles.  The following link has a child friendly Rights of the Child poster which you can use Symbols-Poster.pdf (cypcs.org.uk)

For further information about Rights Respecting Schools please visit: 

www.unicef.org.uk/rrsa

Thank you for your support, if you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.