Rights Respecting Schools

Rights Respecting School and visit from Greg Clark, MP 

We are delighted to announce that Pembury School has recently been awarded the Silver Rights Respecting School award.

This means that we are ‘rights aware’. In a virtual assessment visit, we proved that there was teaching and learning about rights (in assemblies, lessons, displays), through rights (modelling rights respecting language and attitude and involving children in decision making) and for the rights of others (campaigning and allowing children to develop as rights respecting citizens).

You can find out more about what it means to be a Silver Rights Respecting School below and more about Children’s Rights at Pembury on this website.

Some highlights from the UNICEF assessor’s report include:

“Children are knowledgeable and articulate about their rights and the rights of others.”

“Pupils understand that… when they are older and become duty bearers they will already know the rights and can encourage others to respect them.”

“[There is a focus on] empowering children to realise they have a voice and engage them in a wider view of the world.”

One of the key campaigns that the Rights Steering Group have been involved in this year has been for universal free school meals in primary schools. In Term 3, children in Year 5 wrote to the local MP, Greg Clark, to ask him to join the campaign. Article 24 of the UNCRC outlines children’s right to food and water and pupils argued that it was crucial for all pupils to work on a full stomach.

In response, Mr Clark visited the school on Friday 7th July to talk about this campaign. He was given a tour of the school by members of the Steering Group, who spoke to him about classroom charters and OPAL play. Then, he met Year 5 to explain the current approach to free school meals in primary schools. Mr Clark gave pupils lots to think about and has encouraged them to continue thinking of ways to support families who do not currently qualify for free school meals, but who are concerned about money during the ‘cost of living crisis’.

We are proud to be a silver Rights Respecting School, meaning that everyone in the school is committed to respecting, learning and teaching about Children’s Rights. We achieved the accolade, from UNICEF, in June 2023 and are currently working towards a gold accreditation.

What is a Rights Respecting School?

As a Rights Respecting School, Pembury aims to put Children’s Rights at the heart of what we do. Children are respected, their ideas are valued and their talents are nurtured. The award offers three strands: teaching and learning about rights, teaching and learning through rights, and teaching and learning for rights. Each of these are equally important to us as we give the children the tools needed to become responsible, global citizens.

Using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as our guide, children and adults discuss rights as part of learning, behaviour and daily life. We use a Steering Group of pupils, staff, parents and governors to ensure that our journey and vision to become fully Rights Respecting is consistent across the school community.

Further information can be found by clicking here

Silver Rights Respecting School 

We are delighted to announce that Pembury School has recently been awarded the Silver Rights Respecting School award.

This means that we are ‘rights aware’. In a virtual assessment visit, we proved that there was teaching and learning about rights (in assemblies, lessons, displays), through rights (modelling rights respecting language and attitude and involving children in decision making) and for the rights of others (campaigning and allowing children to develop as rights respecting citizens).

You can find out more about what it means to be a Silver Rights Respecting School below and more about Children’s Rights at Pembury on this website.

Some highlights from the UNICEF assessor’s report include:

“Children are knowledgeable and articulate about their rights and the rights of others.”

“Pupils understand that… when they are older and become duty bearers they will already know the rights and can encourage others to respect them.”

“[There is a focus on] empowering children to realise they have a voice and engage them in a wider view of the world.”

Article 9
You have the right to live with your parents, unless it is bad for you.

Support Hope’s Home Campaign

One of our Year 5 pupils wanted to share the poignant reality surrounding a young girl named Hope, who is just 4 years old and is unable to reside overnight in her home. Sadly, following her mother’s passing, in Africa regulations dictate that she cannot spend the night with her father unless they have a two-bedroom home.
We have chose to support the initiative aiming to construct a suitable home for Hope. The charity endeavours to raise £6000 for this cause. The children participated in a competition where they were tasked with constructing and decorating a miniature house and to provide a monetary contribution. They raised £524. Take a look at some of the houses.

Update on Hope’s new house- building work has begun, take a look at her previous home and now the early stages of her new house with her Father.

Steering Group Meetings

Steering Group meetings are held weekly with pupil members. In these, pupils have worked on promoting rights through posters and assemblies, as well as planning events (e.g. at the summer fair). The minutes from previous termly meetings can be found below: