- PUPIL RIGHTS & WELLBEING

RIGHTS RESPECTING SCHOOLS

The Alton holds the Gold Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) which is given by a charity called UNICEF.

UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) work hard to help children and families all over the world. They work hard to ensure that all children can enjoy their rights. We all have rights and they cannot be taken away from us.

UNICEF created the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC) which has 54 articles which outline all the rights a child has. It builds on the basic rights a child has, such as the right to:
- Develop to the fullest
- Be protected from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation
- Participate fully in family, cultural and social life

There are four main core principles:

1.  Non-discrimination
2.  Devotion to the best interests of the child
3.  A right to life, survival and develpoment
4.  Respect for the view of children

Why are we a Rights Respecting School?

We decided to become a Rights Respecting School because we want The Alton Primary School to become a better place for everyone. We want to teach children about their rights and we want them to understand how to respect each other’s rights and develop the responsibilities they have towards each other.

Rights Respecting learning makes us think more about other people and how our actions and words affect them. We would like children and adults to look at their own behaviours and see how it affects other people and how they would feel if they were treated in a similar way. We believe this is a very important skill for children to succeed in life and be happy.

Across the school all children are taught about their rights through lessons. Every year each class makes a class charter. This charter is agreed and signed by the children and details how we will show respect for each other's rights. (Please see our website to view each class’s charter). Each week children have whole school assemblies about rights from the UNCRC. Following this the children are given time in their class to do follow up work on the right that has been taught that week. This involves discussion and often relates to their role as been local and global citizens. This year, children have created a lunchtime charter and a playground charter to help them to remember how to respect each other’s rights.

We are continuing to work with the children to teach them about global issues and have held various fundraising events across the year to help in such issues.

What can you do as parents?

Please support us by discussing the rights of the child with your child, and help to teach them how to respect their rights and the rights of others. Please support them to follow their class charter, the lunchtime charter and the playground charter so that The Alton can be a happy place where everyone’s rights are respected.

Through our parent newsletters you can find out when the children have been focusing on particular rights, and what you can do to support their learning.

For more information about Rights Respecting Schools please visit the website: http://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools

PUPIL LEADERSHIP TEAM

An integral part of a child’s experience at The Alton School is formed by the extensive opportunities we provide for pupils to take on roles of responsibility and leadership.

We continue to encourage and value our pupils’ voice and our teams of Peer Mentors and the School Council play an active role in school life. Pupils’ ongoing commitment has a very positive impact on our learning environment here at The Alton School and we are incredibly proud of their combined achievements to date. We are confident they will continue to impress us with their ideas and passion.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

Article 12: Every child has the right to say what they think in all matters affecting them, and to have their views taken seriously.

The School Council meet regularly to discuss school issues and improvements. A boy and girl from each class (from years 1 to 6) are elected by their peers. They seek the views of their peers about certain issues and feedback in the School Council meeting.

PEER MENTORS

Article 12: Every child has the right to say what they think in all matters affecting them, and to have their views taken seriously.
Article 16: Every child has the right to meet with other children and young people and to join groups and organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights.

Through our Peer Mentor scheme, pupils are trained to provide help to other pupils who are unhappy or lonely at play and lunchtimes.

They are not there to tell people what to do. They provide support by listening to and helping individuals to think their problems through and consider their options.

Some of the things that Peer Mentors do:
- help new students to settle into school
- run activities at lunchtime so that students have a safe place to be
- are available for any pupil to go and have a chat to about a worry they have
- work alongside Learning Support Assistants helping students in the lunch hall.

For peer support to work well, a number of things are important:

Training is provided for the Peer Mentors so that they understand their roles and develop the important communication and problem solving skills.

Good support and supervision from staff. Trained adults are available at all times to support the Peer Mentors themselves and give guidance if necessary.

Making peer support an important part of the whole school’s ethos.