Pupils talk about their UN award (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Pupils talk about their UN award
3:51pm Monday 3rd December 2007 in Education By Emily-Ann Elliott
Children's commissioner Maria Battle, seated at the table with Councillor David Kirk and pupils from Manor Field Junior School. With them are UNICEF'S Paul Johnson and Anita Teissen
RIGHTS and responsibilities were the hot topics up for discussion when a children's champion dropped in to a Basingstoke school.
Maria Battle, the acting children's commissioner for Wales, visited pupils at Manor Field Junior School, Brighton Hill, to find out more about the UNICEF Rights Respecting School Award the school received in July.
The award is based on the United Nations' Children's Charter and, as well as teaching children about their rights, it also highlights the responsibilities that go with them.
Representatives from UNICEF, including director Anita Teissen, education officer Paul Johnson and Gail Cheers, a UNICEF rights respecting school partner, who is based in Basingstoke, attended the event. Councillor David Kirk, county Cabinet executive member for children's services in Hampshire, was also there.
Miss Battle met with a group of pupils who talked to her about what being a rights respecting school means to them.
She told them: "I have come here today to listen to you and to learn so that when I go back to Wales I can help our schools to be even better."
The pupils showed Miss Battle their classroom agreement, which each class decides and signs up to, and they explained their school agreement and the role of the school council.
Ellie Pollock, eight, said: "We always try to stick to our class and school agreement. We have become more responsible and we respect each other now."
Charlita Barrett, aged nine, said: "It is not just an ordinary piece of paper with some words on saying you should do this. It is what keeps our school together."
