Our Rights in a Global World
Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifi Global Learning Programme - Wales Network
Context:
Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifi is a Welsh medium primary school of over 300 pupilsin Cardigan, Ceredigion. There are 11 schools in the network from the surrounding rural villages.
What did the network want to achieve?
The networkwanted to work on a common project that offered opportunities for engaging with and developing global learning whilst also allowing for differences in the schools.It was decided that the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award would be the most appropriate one to follow to suit the network’s common aims:
- incorporate a global learning aspect into learning about children’s rights
- share the resulting good work
How did they set about it?
The network schools completed a survey to find out what award schemes they already followed. The outcomewas that 3 out of the 11 schools had attended an initial Rights Respecting Schools training day in the previous year but only Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifi had committed to the award and had started on their journey.The lead school already has the Recognition of Commitment (ROC) to Rights Respecting Schools so would be able to share their experience.
GLP-W approved provider Rights Respecting Schoolswas invited to the second GLP-W network meeting to provide training. Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifi, who are now about to apply for level 1,the second step of the Rights Respecting Schools Award, also shared what theywere doingin their school towards embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into its ethos and curriculum with the network.
Back at school the network teachers filled in the ROC forms, and the lead school was able to help with any difficulties. Questionnaires went out to all staff and pupils to ascertain what they already knew about rights. The results were collated and pupils formed the Global Citizenship Council.The lead school already hadan action plan setting out how global learning fitted in with how they were going to teach about rights in their school. They focus on two rights each term to fit in with termly themes,for example, children accessing education when studying the Victorians in History. This has been shared with the network schools.
Within the network, global learning opportunities in the Foundation Phase and key stage 2were discussed and teachers investigated resources and assemblies, looking at common themes.
The GLP-W meetings have giventime for training and sharing of good practice in global learning between the schools. The network schools have found it very useful to be able to call on the experience of the lead school as well as the other schools in the network, for example, some of the other schools hadn’t heard about Show Racism the Red Card, another GLP-W approved provider who regularly visits the lead school to work with the pupils.This work has given staff the opportunity to further develop ESDGC and learning about rights in their own schools as well as to collaborate on this with other schools.
GLP-W funding has enabled the schools to apply for the Rights Respecting Schools award, and they are using this to deliver global learning.
The work has also fed into digital competency within the school which had aided the ICT PLC of which Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifiis also a lead schoolwith other schools.
How well did they achieve the aims?
All the network schools have introduced global learning within their work on rights, andthe majority are making good progress on the RRS award.
Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifi took part in the ‘Send my Friend to School’ campaign. Pupils watched videos which were followed by animated discussions. All pupils created rucksacks using templates from UNICEF on which they wrote why education was important. They invitedthe Assembly Member for Ceredigion, Elin Jones to school. She visited the different classes, where pupils spoke enthusiastically with her and explained the purpose of the award - that every child across the world has the right to an education and that it was world leaders' duty to try and ensure this. Elin promised to pass the messages in the rucksacks on to Marc Williams, the Member of Parliament for Ceredigion.This had a huge impact on pupils as they could see how something they did would end up going to Parliament and could influence actions there.
As one pupil said:
“I thought you just gave money and that was it”
What was the impact of this work?
Pupils’ speaking and listening skills have improved, they can speak confidently about the rights of children and different articles, putting them in context for themselves and others around the world. They understand more about the lives of children in different countries and how for some of them, their priorities may be different, and this in turn has enabled them to look at their own lives in another light. Self-esteem has improved – for example, a group of pupils said they ‘felt special’ when Elin Jones visited the school to collect their Send my Friend rucksacks.
“I’m not afraid of the world as much anymore because I know what rights I have and how to use them properly.”
Year 6 pupil
“Having workshops like ‘Show Racism the Red Card has helped me learn about things that worried me like IS and words like Muslim and refugee.”
Year 6 pupil
“I feel more powerful because of what I could do”
A year 6 pupil who also said she might like to be Prime Minister when she is an adult
“Global Citizenship is a massive part of the new curriculum – looking at rights here and in other countries has had a positive impact on each individual within school. This work has really made the children think – seeing that these things are not just something you do in a book”
Year 5/6 teacher
“Being a lead school for the Global Learning Programme-Wales has given staff a deeper insight and understanding into ESDGC aspects with the focus primarily being on the Rights of the Child. It has been an ideal professional development opportunity for individuals to work collaboratively with other schools thus developing a culture of learning from one another and becoming self-improving organisations. Pupils have most definitely benefited from this programme, by developing and strengthening pupil voice further within the school especially with the implementation of Unicef’s Rights Respecting Schools Award and becoming a ROC school. Pupils have also developed a greater understanding of how ESDGC plays an important role in their education, using these experiences to develop their literacy and personal and social skills further so that they may become reflective, ethical and informed citizens of the future.”
Donna Hanly (Head Teacher Ysgol Gynradd Aberteifi)
The work on rights has high priority in the schools. In the lead school, this has extended to the wider community. A hand print sign has been adopted and people connected with the school are invited to add their own handprint with a message to show that they are respecting other people’s rights.
The Global Citizenship Council presented an assembly to parents about the rights of children both here and in other countries.
How does this link to the Global Learning ProgrammeWales?
In particular the work links with the themes of developing countries, global poverty reduction, enquiry and critical thinking
What we plan to do next?
One of the next steps will be mapping the ESDGC and GLP-W themes across the curriculum in both key stages.In addition in the summer GLP-Wmeeting, there will be a chance to share good practice of what each school has done during the past year, it’s impact and to plan for the future.
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