Mansfield special needs school gains top UNICEF award for rights and respect

Fountaindale School, a special needs school based in Mansfield and part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust, has been awarded a Silver UNICEF rights respecting school award (RRSA).

The accreditation was awarded by UNICEF UK, which works on behalf of children and their rights and recognises a school’s commitment to supporting pupils’ understanding of rights and responsibilities – both for themselves and for those around them.

In achieving this award, the school was required to demonstrate its knowledge and application of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child in the classroom.

At Fountaindale School, this has helped learners use their shared understanding to work together and advocate for improved wellbeing, school improvement, global justice and sustainable living.

UNICEF UK also recognised that “the commitment of senior leaders to RRSA is clear”, commenting in the supporting report that “adults know a wide range of articles and they fully understand their role as duty bearers”.

The report highlighted how parents also reported positive changes, saying their children are “not afraid to exercise their rights”.

Learning about their rights and responsibilities forms an important part of the school day for pupils, as they learn about the different articles of the UN convention on the rights of the child in the classroom and during assemblies.

This also informs how pupils learn about their own health and wellbeing, as they are given cooking lessons and are taught coping strategies such as ‘zones of regulation’.

One child said: “we get lots of help if we are feeling sad or angry.”

As shown in the assessment, Fountaindale pupils also reported having a very high level of trust in the adults who work with them, with the report stating that “all aspects of safeguarding are front of mind throughout the school and children’s rights now underpin this”.

It refers to one member of staff expressing “the school’s desire for the children to be empowered to say – no, I don’t like that.”

The report ends with praise for Fountaindale’s “strong focus on building up positive and mutually respectful relationships”.

It points to the strong friendships forged between learners, with staff recognising the importance of this to those at Fountaindale – “for many of our children, school isn’t just about learning, it’s the heart of their social life”.

Chris Evans, headteacher at Fountaindale School, said: “We saw RRSA as an important way of framing the school’s improvement journey so have adopted it in a holistic manner, with the children’s voices right at the centre.

“We’re proud of this approach and are already seeing the benefits, with our team developing strong relationships with our learners as well as trust with their families.

“We are proud to have achieved this award and are already working towards the gold accreditation in the near future.”

Warren Carratt, CEO of Nexus Multi Academy trust, said the award is a “fantastic achievement” and a true testament to the commitment of staff, learners and families to creating a supportive environment at Fountaindale School.