St Francis' is proud to be a Rights Respecting School. Upholding the Rights of others is part of our School ethos and is the responsibility of everyone in our school. 

What is the Rights Respecting Schools initiative?

UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting Schools initiative helps a school community to use the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to help develop a clear set of values that are actively upheld by pupils.

What are children’s rights?

All human beings – adults and children alike – are entitled to basic human rights.  Children have a particular set of rights due to their vulnerability and need for protection.  The UNCRC sets out the rights that must be realised for children to develop to their full potential, free from hunger and want, neglect and abuse. 

These rights are not something that children need to earn or that adults and governments can take away as a punishment.  They contain the basic protection and support that all children are entitled to.  All children have the same rights, no matter what their background or where they live.

What does the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child say?

There are 42 articles in the Convention, but they can be summed up as follows:

The right to a childhood 

Every child has the right to a safe childhood, protected from violence, abuse and exploitation.  Every child has the right to grow up in a family environment, free from adult responsibilities and with the right to play.

The right to an education

Every child has the right to an education that develops their personality, talents and abilities to the full.

The right to be healthy

Every child has the right to health care, clean water, nutritious food and a safe environment so they can be as healthy as possible.

The right to be treated fairly

All children have the same rights whatever their ethnicity, gender, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say and whatever their family background.

Articles 29 is particularly important for schools

Article 29: Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full.  It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and the environment.