RIGHTS RESPECTING SCHOOL AWARD
ASSESSMENT REPORT
LEVEL TWO
School: / BallinderryPrimary SchoolHeadteacher: / Mrs. Lorraine Magowan
RRSA coordinator: / Mrs. Lorraine Magowan
Local authority: / SEELB
Assessors: / Vivien Kelly and Debbie Trainor
Date: / 30 May 2012
Introduction
UNICEF would like to thank the Principal, staff and pupils of BallinderryPrimary School for their warm welcome to the school, for the opportunity to speak with pupils, staff and governors during the assessment and for the evidence detailing the work towards becoming a Level 2 rights-respecting school. Prior to the assessment visit the school provided a comprehensive self-evaluation form and impact evaluation form. It was clear to the assessors during the visit that the rights respecting ethos is central to the life and personality of the school. We were particularly impressed with the enthusiasm and understanding shown by everyone we met.
In the view of the external assessors the school has fully met, and in many cases exceeded, all of the criteria for standards A, B, C and D and we would recommend that the school be awarded a RRSA Level 2.
What is required before attaining Level 2
If anyrequirements are made, these are listed below. The Accreditation and standards committee will be asked what additional evidence is required. This may be written evidence or a follow-up assessment, usually within the next six months.
No requirements are made
How we recommendLevel 2 standardsare maintained
These actions are those that have proven valuable in other schools and settings in helping them to maintain and build on their practice at Level 2. The recommendations made by the assessors are listed below:
- Continue with high levels of pupil involvement and explore ways of involving Years 1-3 more in the School Council
- Consider the voting system for the School Council to allow for more children to get involved
- Use positive language on charters – remove all NOTS
- Continue to develop Global links
- Governors and parents could be encouraged to draw up and sign their school charters
- Staff complete a whole school line of development linked to UNCRC for Local and Global Citizenship
- Keep web pages updated and use to inform and develop the RRS ethos
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The school context
BallinderryPrimary School attained RRSA Level 1 in June 2010. The current school roll is at maximum intake of 178 (19% SEN, 11.8% FSM). The school is very well regarded by parents, local community, School Inspectorate and Local Education Authority.
A recent ETI report stated that “The quality of the pastoral care is a significant strength of the school; the children’s well-being is consistently to the fore” and that “The teachers are hard-working and fully committed to the all-round development of the children” and “a strong sense of community pervades the life and work of the school; relationships at all levels are excellent. The children are well-behaved, friendly and courteous to visitors.”
Assessment information
Self-evaluation form received / YesImpact evaluation form received / Yes
Attendees at SLT meeting / Principal/RRSA Coordinator
Senior Teacher
Vice Principal
Number of children and young people interviewed / All but Yr 2 class were visited. 4 enthusiastic and informed pupil members of the steering group led our tour of school and classrooms. We also had over 30 minutes to interview around 20 pupil representatives of the School Council, the Eco Committee and Peer Mediators
Number of staff interviewed / All 9 teaching and all 9 support staff– during working lunch and as part of our learning walk
4 parents
1 governor
Evidence provided / Interviews
Learning walk (school tour) which included visits to classrooms and opportunity to watch a lesson
Written and visual evidence in extensive portfolio linked to each of the standards including:
School development plan
Evidence of staff training, self evaluation and planning
Policies and lesson plans for all stages linked clearly to UNCRC
Global links with Greece and China and Use of teachers’ and parents’ knowledge of schools and life in other parts of the world linked to UNCRC
School web site
Pictures of past and current displays in classrooms and corridors
Assembly practice
Homeworks linked to UNCRC
Summary
Standard A has been met.
It was very clear during our discussion with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) that they have a strong vision and commitment to the values and principles of the UNCRC. There is a systematic and embedded approach, which is building for sustainability and continuity. During the visit the assessment team saw a great deal of evidence to confirm the school’s own impact evaluation and Level 2 self-evaluation statements on the progress made since the Level 1 visit. The learning walk around the school, an impressive portfolio of evidence and interviews with children, staff and parents all confirmed the significant impact of RRSA on the children’s confidence, learning and behaviour. The school charter represented as the branches and leaves of a tree links with the school crest – also a tree, is given a central position and is seen as a work in progress – by the SLT, staff and pupils. 94% of pupils in yrs 4-7 said they understood the charter and that pupils and staff referred to it regularly. (Quoted in Impact statement). “The RRS journey has increased our pupil’s confidence, well being and they are more engaged in their learning” Principal
The SLT provided examples of topics, assemblies and special events throughout the school year which address Global issues. The staff worked together to map a line of development in resolving conflict through Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (PDMU) and are working towards a whole school line of development linked to UNCRC for Local and Global Citizenship. Children act as ambassadors through their contact with other schools, and at events, parents’ evenings and competitions such as the Healthy Eating Award Final where they impressed the other schools and the judges. The ECO council planned a link with a school in China and invited Chinese visitors to the school.
There are many strong links with immediate and wider local community as well as Global links to Greece and they are also developing new links with China and Papua New Guinea. The Principal has acted as ambassador speaking to visiting staff from another school, at an Education Board cluster meeting of local schools and to the manager of the Speedwell Trust (A cross-community/environment centre which receives many school visits).
The school council has contributed to discussions on policiesandprovided questions relevant to UNCRC for an interview for a new teacher. The UNCRC and the RRSA are clearly woven through the School Development Plan 2011-2014, is referred to in all policies and in all staff, governors’ and parents’ meetings. There is evidence of RRS in curriculum planning at all stages and in most subject areas from nursery to upper primary. The school website features information about the RRSA and links classroom and school activities to CRC articles. The school charity work for local and global causes is based on the articles and links to particular Rights.
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Summary
Standard B has been met.
“It’s been happening at home” Parent
“Children talk about their rights at home” Parent
“They (the pupils) have an understanding of why – and can talk about why things should or should not happen” Parent; “It is part of their language and they educate us” Parent.
It was very clear from talking to parents, governors and auxiliary staff that they are regularly informed about UNCRC and the RRSA informally through conversations with their children or grandchildren at home, visits to school, meetings, newsletters, the school website and through the home-works that are linked to a particular article. There was a dedicated evening and open morning on the school’s work towards the RRSA for parents. Evenings such as Yummy Mummy, Fair Trade Garden Fair and the Chinese New Year provided opportunities for parents to feel included in the RRS ethos. The school website describes the school’s commitment to RRS and UNCRC and throughout the site parents and the school community can easily see how class and school work and activities are underpinned by the UNCRC. All the staff and pupils interviewed could describe the key articles reflected in the school charter and talk about how they might influence behaviour or actions.
The classroom charters – based on the UNCRC, are prominent in every room and have all been written and designed by the children. Both teaching and support staff reported that children were more focused on their learning since the introduction of classroom charters, referred to on a regular basis. 94% of pupils in yrs 4-7 said they understood the school charter and that pupils and staff referred to it regularly. (Quoted in Impact statement) The school council and steering group met with the support and canteen staff to draw up a lunchtime charter, which is represented on an outline of a giant dinner plate.
Assemblies on the Global issues underlying the UNCRC Articles are presented regularly by different year groups and during our visit we enjoyed and were impressed by the Year 3 assembly on Fair Trade. Children and adults talk about actions - pupil actions and adult actions rather than responsibilities. Assessment for Learning is in evidence throughout planners, classroom and homework and pupils discuss and review their learning and take pride in their achievements.
“Pupils are able to make links between topic and articles. It is very evident that the RRS experience is beneficial” Chair of Board of Governors.
We saw evidence of this in a year 4 lesson were 7-8 year olds were able to talk about pirates in fiction and modern day Somali pirates linking to articles 29 and 32. In another lesson a year 7 class discussed in groups which articles were specifically relevant to their school life and how others might be linked to topics and activities.
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Summary
Standard C has been fully met.
“It’s not new! This is the way we do things here in Ballinderry,” Teacher
“We are living it” teacher
“The children know they are listened to and know their views are respected. So many of their ideas are included in how the school is run.” KS2 Co-ordinator
“That’s us – that’s what we do” Pupil
“There is a child friendly ethos – a home from home” Parent
“A very caring and supportive atmosphere” Inspectorate (ETI)
The classroom charters – based on the UNCRC, are prominent in every room and have all been written and designed by the children. The school council and steering group met with the support and canteen staff to draw up a lunchtime charter, which is presented on a giant dinner plate. The children interviewed knew how to make their concerns or ideas known and expressed confidence that were listened to and respected. There are Suggestion Boxes in every classroom and in corridors and dinning hall. “You get your say” Pupil
Year 7 pupils take on the role of peer mentors and are elected after explaining why they want the role. “We get to know the little ones better and be a good role model” Yr 7 child
The children interviewed felt the Peer Mentoring system worked very well and told us how it linked with the UNCRC – “right to play”; “right to a voice” “If children aren’t playing fairly they are wrecking it for other people”.
“Incidents of poor/unacceptable behaviour have been reduced by more than 50% since we became a RRS. Incidents of bullying during the school year have been only 2 in number and were resolved very quickly using our RR ethos and charter based on rights,” quoted in Impact statement and confirmed in conversation with parents and Chair of Board of Governors.
Children are rewarded for a variety of things – not just academic. Pupils are encouraged to share their achievements outside school and parents willingly share their skills and time to support activities such as drama, ECO projects and sport. The new Vice Principal who spent over a year setting up a school in Zambia uses her experience to extend the children’s understanding of some of articles 28, 29, 31, 32.
The school has just gained a third ECO Schools Flag and the ECO committee provides another vehicle for the pupil voice. The school building and its grounds provide many examples of the children’s input. All classes are involved in planting and caring for vegetables and flowers and for the care and conservation of their school environment. For their ECO flag the ECO committee showed how they had worked with teachers and their classes to inform the school community about local and global issues such as sustainable development and Fair Trade. Shared projects with their partner school provide another forum to explore issues of children’s rights in a global and local context. Pupils explored the meaning of the Olympic rings and some of global issues that face some participating countries.
Summary
Standard D has been met.
The pupil voice is clearly evidenced in each classroom in Learning Planning Boards where they discuss what they want to know about a topic and pose questions. The shared topic work (on Greece and the Olympics) with their partner school from a different religious and cultural tradition has provided pupils, teachers and assistants with opportunities to tell others about rights and develop their Local and Global Citizenship.
“So many of their ideas are included in how the school is run.” KS2 Co-ordinator
A parent, whose son is a peer mentor in class 7, commented on how “they (her older children who had just left the school) are well prepared for the next stage of education.” Her older children now in the Secondary school not only still take a healthy break to school but use UNCRC language to explain to others why they should too.
This school provides opportunities for pupils to make decisions and manage a budget. One example of this is the pupil inspired and run “Fruit to Go” scheme, managed and run like a small business. The School Council and ECO committee also decided how their small budget was spent for the benefit of the school community. There are many examples of when pupils from across the ability and age range are given the opportunities to be ambassadors and champions for children’s rights both in school and in the local and global community. Pupils are confident in sharing what they have been doing. Examples include the UNICEF Day for Change, World Book Day, Roots of Empathy, Action Cancer Awards (2 gold medals) and successive first prizes in Rural Sustainability (2010) and Healthy Eating Awards (2012). Pupils spoke in public at the Waterfront Hall and explained what they were doing and why their school was a RRS. During our visit pupils spoke with enthusiasm and pride about what they had done and the SLT and staff described how overwhelmed they had been by the pupil’s ability to take control, assign roles and manage their presentations at these competitions or events. The children show their knowledge and concern for Global Issues in a number of ways e.g. sponsorship of and correspondence with an Ethiopian child, Fair Trade Fair and raising money for Water Aid. The Year 3 class who had presented the assembly on Fair Trade were able to answer questions linking their work to global issues of poverty and child labour and talk about the relevant CRC articles.
“As a pupil at a Rights Respecting School I …..” The pupils feel empowered to write letters to local and national politicians. We were particularly impressed with letters written to Peter Robinson and Martin McGuiness about why they did not bring up China’s record on human rights with Liu Yandong who visited them in April.
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