Grammar award recognises pupils’ rights
MAKING students aware of their rights and encouraging them to take part in the process has seen the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre become the first secondary school in the island to receive a Unicef silver award as a Rights Respecting School.
It joins St Martin’s Primary School as one of the two in the island to have received the accolade.
Assistant head teacher (inclusion and safeguarding) Nicola Ingrouille, who is the lead on Rights Respecting Schools, said Grammar introduced the programme in October 2018 and in March 2019, it was given a bronze award.
Following a Unicef visit, the school has found out that it has now been given silver.
‘They very much wanted to see that the children understand the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and that they have rights,’ said Mrs Ingrouille. ‘The inspection was looking for children to be able to explain and describe ways in which they were taught about their rights.’
Two of the key elements Unicef was looking for was that the students were made an integral part of the programme and how the subject was taught.
In respect of the first part, the school has set up The Voice and Rights Representatives Steering Group, which involves students.
Educationally, the subject forms a part of discussions during tutor groups and PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) lessons and there are regular assemblies where everyone is given the chance to have their say on a subject.
Students are encouraged to find one person in the school whom they are comfortable going to with an issue and they are also able to make recommendations as to how the school is run.
‘Over 90% of the students feel safe and over 90% feel they have a go-to person they can talk to,’ said Mrs Ingrouille.
One example of the students’ effect on the school was when the morning tutorial group session time was moved from 8.30 to later in the morning.
Mrs Ingrouille said this did not go down well with a lot of students and they wanted it switched back. This they accomplished after making their views known in a responsible way and making a reasoned argument, she said.
Moving towards the gold award will see the subject of children’s rights incorporated into the curriculum more broadly, such as in history or geography.
Luke Fleming, 13, is part of The Voice and Rights Steering Group and said he felt safer for joining the team after experiencing bullying.
‘We’ve done a lot to show that everyone has rights and you shouldn’t just use something against someone because of the way they are or the way they look,’ he said.
Mrs Ingrouille said that among the anti-bullying initiatives was a ‘bully button’ on the school’s website, which could be clicked by students in order to be put in touch with a teacher.
Luke said his favourite of the 54 articles of the UNCRC was number 42, which is for governments to make sure that children and adults are aware of the convention: ‘Everyone should know their rights,’ he said.
. Guernsey has not yet ratified the UN Convention on The Rights of the Child, but this is reportedly in hand.
