Values & RRSA
Haresfield School is a Church of England School and as part of the Gloucester Diocese we use the 'Values for life' resource in Collective Worship and throughout the curriculum, especially in PHSE. This aims to promote Christian values and understanding throughout all aspects of school life. Taking a value from a Christian perspective we explore it using Bible stories and stories from different religions to illustrate it.
Value this term
Our value this term is Service – as in altruistic, unselfish, support, caring, giving, and helping.
Some questions that you may wish to discuss with your child and that we will be looking at in school are:
- Why do we serve each other, what are our reasons?
- How does the Bible say we should serve?
- How are children encouraged to serve one another?
- How are acts of service celebrated in the school?
- Are school members active in the wider community?
- Adults serve the school behind the scenes – are the children aware of who they are and what they do?
- How do children show their gratitude and appreciation to those who serve them?
If you take part in charity work or similar acts of volunteering or service in the community, or know someone who does, please let Mrs Farrell know.
Other values we have discussed are: compassion, courage, bravery, trust, justice, responsibility, thankfulness, friendship, perseverance, humility, generosity, respect and reverence and peace.
UNICEF & Rights Respecting Schools Award 
We explore the UNICEF Rights for Children Charter alongside our Christian Values. We are working towards the Stage 1 Award of the Rights Respecting School Award and considering how we can, as a whole school community, incorporate its elements into our practice.
In relation to the Value of Service we are focussing on Article 5 and 18 - parental guidance and responsibilities of parents and other adults and Article 28 - children's right to an education. Our responsibility is to keep these Articles.
Link to Rights Respecting School ppt
Rights Respecting Schools Award
UNICEF UK is pioneering an initiative in UK schools called the Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA). The award scheme started in 2004 and is running in more than 1600 primary and secondary schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. UNICEF UK’s RRSA initiative helps schools to use the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as the values framework.
A values framework for schools
The RRSA provides a coherent values framework which shapes the ethos of the school and unifies what can often be seen as a range of disparate educational initiatives and government priorities in all UK jurisdictions; the global dimension, SEAL (social and emotional aspects of learning), sustainable development, and community cohesion. Pupils develop a stronger sense of the need to act for global justice. The universality of the CRC provides a clear link between building up their rights-respecting school and the need for children’s rights to be realised everywhere.
What are the benefits?
When the principles and values of the CRC are introduced and reinforced throughout school life, children and the wider school community benefit.
As schools implement the RRSA standards they enable children and young people to make informed decisions and to grow into confident, active and responsible citizens.
The pattern emerging from self-evaluation by schools and local authorities, by RRSA education officers and assessors and by external researchers is consistent for all types of schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The main areas of impact are:
- Improved self-esteem and well-being
- Improved relationships and behaviour (reductions in bullying and exclusions and improved attendance)
- Improved engagement in learning
- Positive attitudes towards diversity in society and the reduction of prejudice
- Children and young people’s enhanced moral understanding
- Children and young people’s support for global justice
- Children and young people become more involved in decision-making in schools
Parents have also reported support for the values and principles of the CRC. This is based on the beneficial impact they see on their children when they adopt rights-respecting language and behaviour.