Information for School & Rights Council

At Manor Road Primary School, we work closely as a team. Our School and Rights Council members meet regularly, to discuss ways in which we can improve our school and the lives of our pupils.

Like adults, children also have rights, and the job of Rights Councillors is to make sure that we all respect these rights at Manor Road. These are six of the most important rights, set out by the United Nations.

The right to:

• • be healthy
  • go to school
  • a family life
  • play, relax and have hobbies
  • enough money to be able to live happily
  • be protected from harm

We liaise with Mrs. Marshall and all the staff, as well as pupils, parents, Governors and the PTFA. It allows the pupils to have a voice in school matters and be part of positive change, as well as giving all children a forum for discussion.

One School Councillor and one Rights Councillor per class, are elected by their peers. They hold the position for a year. The Councillors present the views of their classmates at School & Rights Council meetings and also feedback information and ideas to their class.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop:

• • listening and presentation skills
  • teamwork
  • responsibility
  • commitment
  • pride in a job well done

The School & Rights Council is run by Mrs. Foulds, Mrs. Mason and Mrs. Gillbanks. Each year, we focus on a range of projects for the pupils to work on. We have always been impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment shown by each set of pupils, as they rise to the challenges and responsibilities of being a School & Rights Councillor.

Our Project for 2024 to 2025

This year we will be focussing on the ‘Rights’ of all children, which are protected by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child. We will also be looking at the importance of responsibility, that run along side these ‘Rights’.

Our first task was to hold an assembly for the whole school to explain the ‘Rights’ of all children. We also decided to raise money for Barnardo’s, a charity that supports children and young people when times are tough. The charity was first set up over 150 years ago by Thomas Barnardo and his wife, Syrie. The Barnardo’s team ensure that children’s ‘Rights’ are still being met, even when circumstances are difficult. We organised a Bags2School collection to raise funds for this great charity. We made a promotional video to advertise the appeal.

Debbie Nolan Plunkett (Grandma to Toby in y4) is the Assistant Director of Barnardo’s in Lancashire. She very kindly visited the School Rights Council during one of their meetings, to explain the different ways in which Barnardo’s helps children and young people.