Hertfordshire school wins UNICEF award

A proud day for Our Lady's

Our Lady's Catholic Primary School in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, has become the first school in the county to win the prestigious UNESCO Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA).

A special liturgy was held at the school yesterday to celebrate this event. The School Council, both past and present, were blessed by Father Michael Lambert, and their work for the school, formally acknowledged. Mrs Tye, the PSHCE leader and Mrs Davis, the school Inclusion manager spoke out and presented the children with the award certificate.

The head teacher from John Henry Newman Secondary school in Stevenage, a representative from the Bethany Club, the Chair of Churches Together and parent representatives from each class also attended.

During the ceremony the class council child from each year group read from their class charter, alongside their parent class representative.The Chair of Governors, Mr Ian McBain, spoke words of welcome and the head teacher Susan Brown, explained the school's journey.

The school Head girl, Nadia, read a speech that she had written about what it was like to be a pupil in a Rights Respecting school and the Head boy, Andrew read his prayer which he had composed for the occasion.

Our Year five class then performed a special dance to the song: 'Who I am', and the school house captains moved on stage with their ribbons to perform to the hymn, 'Weave one Heart'.

After a rousing song which all the children enjoyed from four year olds to eleven year olds, there was a beautifully put together powerpoint of photographs representing the articles from UNICEF. This was topped by the music 'Sing' the anthem of all nations.

Refreshments followed, made by the children and served by the House captains.

It was a wonderful celebration. Father Michael said the ceremony had been "truly moving."

The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. A rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships: between teachers / adults and pupils, between adults and between pupils.

To find out more about the award see: www.unicef.org.uk/rrsa

For more information on Our Lady's: www.ourladys.herts.sch.uk/