Harmful work? If it harms a child’s health or education, it contravenes Article 32. Think Victorian era when boys swept clean chimneys and girls stayed at home to help with the chores. Those times have long since passed in this country, of course, but this is not the case in some poorer countries.

Yet this right should not be taken to mean children are not encouraged to take on roles of responsibility within school. In Year 5, children fulfil the roles of class monitors for a number of tasks, ranging from keeping the cloakroom tidy to sharpening pencils to holding open the door. Being a classroom monitor teaches the importance of serving the community (which, in school, is the class) in a way that is both pleasing and rewarding.(House points can be earned and a ‘thank you’ from a grateful peer is never far away.) It’s the positive flip-side of Article 32.

Article 30: You have the right to practise your own culture, language and religion.

Today Shahnila and her family have been celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid. She gave sweet treats to all her friends in Silver Birch class and came into Yew class to show us the card she gave to Mrs Sheldon and told us all about her special celebrations.

Thank you for sharing it with us 😊

This week in Year 2, we have started learning a friendship song in Music. We discussed the meaning of some of the words and phrases in the song and why it is so important to be kind to our friends, and everybody! We linked this to Article 15 – the right to choose our own friends and join or set up groups, as long as it isn’t harmful to others. For example, being compassionate and tolerant and not leaving anybody out if they have different views to us.

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In Year One we have been thinking about how we can help each other and treat each other fairly. We linked this to our Christian value of Compassion and created a collage to show hands reaching out to help one another, and the world in the shape of a heart to symbolise how people all over the world should be loved and treated fairly.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, Article 29, is an eclectic mix of ideals: the right to live peacefully; the right to be treated respectfully by others; the right for one’s environment to be protected. On a par with these is the right to develop one’s talents and abilities. In Year 5, not only do the children develop their academic abilities by fulfilling the National Curriculum, there are a number of extra-curricular activities that seek to promote the development of physical, mental and social skills. Caving on Dartmoor, climbing at Exeter’s ‘Clip & Climb’ facility, and outdoor learning at Forest School are some of the opportunities that have been afforded to the children. Latest amongst these is ‘Rugby for Girls’. Last week, the entire group received specialised coaching to develop their talents and abilities, and a thoroughly enjoyable time was had by all. Well done, girls!

This week in Year 2, we have been thinking about Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. As a school, we are focusing on 40 Days of Kindness. We have a Kindness Tree in our classroom and every time somebody goes above and beyond to be or do something super kind, we add it to our tree. This links in to Article 15 where we have the right to choose and play nicely with our friends and Article 19 where we have the right to be protected from being hurt in body or mind.

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Article 13 – Children have the right to share freely with others what they learn, think and feel, by talking, drawing, or writing.

As part of children’s mental health week the children drew pictures of their outer and inner selves, exploring what they show the outside world and what they keep inside.

Holocaust Memorial Day is a day when we think about the bad things that happened to the Jewish people during world war ll. 

Last week for Holocaust Memorial Day on 27^th January we made candles, and wrote the names of people who had sought justice in our world.  There were lots of different people who we learned about, from Anne Frank to Martin Luther King.  We decorated the candles and then used them to update our display in the hall. 

On the day we took assembly for KS2 and we learnt more about the day and why it is so important.  We then watched a video, with survivors and their families taking part in a rememberance service at Trafalgar square.  It was lit with the colour purple and all the people present had a candle. 

In KS1 we wrote the names of people we are grateful for on the candles and in our classes, we talked about how it is important to be kind to people even when they are different to us. 

As part of the assembly each class was given 2 candles so that we too could take part in the act of remembrance.  We remember so we can make sure that these awful things never happen again. 

Article 38, Children have the right to be protected during war.

The Reights Team

In Holly and Oak class we had great fun doing a mindful tasting activity. We each had a chocolate button that we had to explore using our senses before we were finally able to eat it! We have been learning about how to look after our mental health through learning about our brains and one way to help our brains is to have some mindful moments throughout the day.

Today the community police officers visited and did an assembly to our KS2 children. They talked about their role in the community, how they keep everyone safe and how to be safe online. The children then had the chance to ask any questions. Article 40: I have the right to get legal help and to be treated fairly if I have been accused of breaking the law. This also links to our Christian Value this half term of Justice