Our children receive a PSHE (personal, social, health education), SEAL (social, emotional aspects of learning) or a lesson on one of the articles from the UN CRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) each week. These are planned programmes of learning through which the children acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives, emotions and friendships.
As part of a whole school approach, PSHE and SEAL develop the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, class members and members of society.
Children receive at least one standalone lesson linked specifically to a CRC article every half term but these articles are referred to across the curriculum on a daily basis. As a Rights Respecting School, children are empowered to recognise their rights and understand that they have a voice to address any issues of concern relating to themselves or others. They are respected and their talents nurtured so that they are able to thrive.
As global citizens, children work together to make the world a safer, fairer and more sustainable place. They know their rights and that everyone has rights, and are working towards everyone getting their rights.
With aspects of the curriculum that cover Safety, Citizenship, Anti-bullying, Finance, Growing (RSE), Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds, Caring for the Environment and British Values, we help to equip the children with the positive attitudes they need to become self-assured and reflective learners ready for life beyond primary school.
At 3:00pm each day, the whole school stops for 10 minutes of Reflection Time.
During this time, the children share positive experiences from their day. Staff also have the opportunity to share successes and reward pupils verbally and/or with a MarvellousMe.
This is also a time for staff and children to reflect on any concerns that have arisen during the day, for instance, if a child has ended the day on a yellow or red light. Teachers use restorative practice approaches to discuss how actions impact on individuals. Children are actively encouraged to consider what didn't go well and why, for example, maybe a right was prevented, as well as share strategies that would help if there's a next time. Teachers refer to our school ethos, values (particularly respect, trust and empathy), British Values and the UN CRC (where appropriate). Every opportunity is taken to develop the children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding.
When something significant has happened in national news, a teacher may take this time to talk to their children, clarify understanding, offer reassurance or open debate on the subject.
We find that this precious time at the end of our day helps to safeguard our pupils. It sends children home calm and happy and reinforces the family ethos of our school where any issue, no matter how tricky, can be discussed with a trusted adult and each day is a new day where everyone has the chance to make different choices and achieve different outcomes.