Rights Respecting Schools at Meath

The Rights Respecting Schools Award puts children’s rights at the heart of school life in the UK.

The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) works with schools in the UK to create safe and inspiring places to learn, where children are respected, their talents are nurtured and they are able to thrive. Our Rights Respecting Schools Award embeds these values in daily school life and gives children the best chance to lead happy, healthy lives and to be responsible, active citizens.

The Award recognises a school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice within the school and beyond. Learn more here.

Meath School

We are thrilled to announce that Meath has officially achieved the prestigious Rights Respecting Schools Award Gold! This incredible milestone is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our students, staff, and community in promoting and upholding children’s rights within our school.

The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA), awarded by UNICEF, recognizes schools that actively incorporate the values of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) into every aspect of school life. Achieving the Gold Award means that Meath has not only demonstrated a deep understanding of children’s rights but also created a culture where these rights are respected, protected, and promoted for every student.

From engaging in thought-provoking discussions about children’s rights to the recent student-led protest for school improvements, our students have shown remarkable leadership in advocating for a positive, inclusive, and respectful school environment. This recognition celebrates their hard work and passion for making our school a place where every voice is heard and valued.

A huge thank you to our dedicated staff, who continuously support and guide our students in understanding their rights, and to all the parents and community members who have been involved in fostering this incredible journey.

We are proud of this achievement and excited to continue building a school where respect, inclusion, and fairness are at the heart of everything we do. Let’s keep working together to make our school a shining example of children’s rights in action!

 

 

 

It was an honour to be invited to, and be part of the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance launch event at the House of Lords on Wednesday 5ht February. It was particularly inspiring as some of our own children from Meath School accompanied us and were able to hear firsthand from the young people such as Rafi, Jasper, Khush and Alana about the challenges they have faced through the lack of speech and language intervention they have experienced as part of their journeys.

Their stories particularly resounded with me as I was able to identify both past and present pupils at school who have faced similar challenges but with the incredible support and dedication of the Meath team and Speech and Language UK have made such tremendous progress in their communication. To hear these testimonials was incredibly moving and reminded me of why we do what we do every day to ensure that our children's voices are heard.

Jess Asato MP spoke about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and how vital it is that all children's voices are heard,  that no child should face discrimination of any kind and that Government has the responsibility of ensuring that all children and young people have access to the special care and education they need to achieve their potential. This was particularly pertinent to our children who were with us as we have just been awarded the Rights Respecting Schools Gold Award and it was inspiring to see their faces light up when the importance of the convention was acknowledged in such a prestigious setting.

I left the event feeling extremely proud of the work that our school and Speech and Language UK are doing to ensure that our young people are supported and encouraged in their communication. I am determined to campaign on behalf of the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance to ensure that all children have access to the interventions and tools they need to have their voices heard.

The children themselves were thrilled by the whole event and have talked enthusiastically about it since. I think that the theme that resonated most deeply with them was that they are not the only ones facing these challenges but that they can, with the support of their families, school and the collective charities who make up the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance,  be the very best that they can be.

Adrienne Wrigglesworth, Swan Class Teacher

There are four key areas of impact for children at a Rights Respecting school; wellbeing, participation, relationships and self-esteem.

The difference that a Rights Respecting School makes goes beyond the school gates, making a positive impact on the whole community.

  • Children are healthier and happier
  • Children feel safe
  • Children have better relationships
  • Children become active and involved in school life and the wider world

We really hope you join us in our journey towards this award, enabling our children to become the best they can be.

"Pupils know that their voice is listened to and that they can make a difference. Older pupils were well prepared to participate in a respectful debate about gender stereotyping during a lesson. Weekly ‘Journey around the Word’ days immerse pupils in the culture and traditions of other countries. They learn about people from a diverse range of backgrounds."

OFSTED June 2023