The contribution of rights respecting Schools toCommunity Cohesion36 February 2010Pupil achievement and the RRSAThe Sussex University Interim second year report (2009)showed overall increases in attainment since 2007 and sevenincreases in value-added scores.The report stated that whileevidence of raised standards would be expected to take longerthan the evaluation period so far,and that caution should beexercised in attributing any improvements in the case studyschools to the RRSA,these were encouraging findings.Furthermore,staff themselves tended to attribute improvedrelationships and behaviour to the RRSA,and DCSF inEngland acknowledges that there is a positive correlationbetween improved behaviour and attainment.It is not too big an assumption to make that at least some ofthe reported improvements can be attributed to the benefitsthat the RRSA scheme has brought.Carole Whitty observedat Manor Field,"There are many other [schools] where youcan find the same kind of ethos.However,this is different in that it links with the authority of the UNCRC.It was also obvious with the children that we spoke to that what they had experienced was 'deep learning'.It was about themselves,not just the rules of a particular school."""By community cohesion we mean workingtowards a society in which there is a commonvision and sense of belonging by all communities;a society in which the diversity of people's backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated andvalued;a society in which similar life opportunitiesare available to all;and a society in which strongand positive relationships exist and continue to bedeveloped in the workplace,in schools and in thewider community."DCSF July 2007Fig 8 Improving achievement at Knights Enham Junior School - a level 2 RRSA school 28YearExclusionsSATS2002-20038133 2003-200442172004-20054213YearExclusionsSATS2005-200622312006-200742192007-2008125228 - See a PowerPoint presentation of the progress being made at Kings Enham School at http://www.naht.org.uk/

February 20103729 - Read a paper to DCSF on Why UNICEF's Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA) offers a practical way forward in relation to Community Cohesion,by Edward Waller for the UNICEF UK Education Team at http://www.naht.org.uk/ 30 - For a fuller account of Community Cohesion in Oldham go to http://www.naht.org.uk/ The Education and Inspections Act 2006 introduced a dutyon all maintained schools in England to promote communitycohesion and on Ofsted to report on the contributions madein this area.The DCSF wants schools to help all pupilsunderstand and appreciate others from different backgroundswith a sense of shared values,fulfilling their potential andfeeling part of a community,at a local,national andinternational level.The UNCRC provides the very values and principles aroundwhich school communities can cohere effectively.The reasonsmost often cited for the success of the RRSA in terms ofcommunity cohesion is that the values and principles of theUNCRC:?appeal to children and adults,empowering both?can draw together people of different faiths and of no faith by offering shared values which promote respect for cultural differences?are consistent at all scales from the personal and local to the global and thus promote collaborative and constructive approaches within the school and between communities 29Some parents are often guarded about the idea of a rightsrespecting school but are soon won over when it is explainedto them and they see the impact on their child.A frequentcomment is that it has improved their relationships at homeand the family has a more positive attitude to school.Pat Peaker,a Rights Respecting Schools Partnerwrites from Oldham:"As a result of its previously strong industrial base Oldhamhas attracted many families over the years from the Indiansub-continent.These communities have continued toexpand rapidly in the post-industrial era.Although themajority of these communities co-exist harmoniously (ifseparately) there are tensions,particularly among the youngunemployed.The racially incited riots of 2001 led to thepublication of the Cantle Report in 2006.Within thiscontext,Freehold Community Primary School hasdemonstrated how the adoption of the RRSA cancontribute to community cohesion.Pupils,parents,governors and the senior leadership teamreviewed and wrote the new school development plan forthe next three years.The influence of the UNCRC is clearin the three aims they formulated:?to raise awareness of the wider world and a sense of our roles as world citizens?to develop the ability to become active citizens and to make a positive contribution?to take responsibility for our actions.The school curriculum focused on global issues such aspoverty,climate change and interdependence.Many pupilsin the school have first-hand experience of such globalissues through visits to Pakistan and can quickly see howpoverty affects your right to be safe,to have adequateshelter,education and food.The school link with a Muslimschool in Sierra Leone has done much to involve theirthinking about the rights of those living in the developingworld,yet having a similar cultural background to theirown.Through the Linking Schools Project in Oldham theyhave interactions with pupils from a school with apredominantly white intake in a different geographicalarea.They have shared in art projects,which have beendisplayed publicly and have partaken in video conferencingwith a school in a semi-rural area of the borough.Freehold School is truly developing a strong sense in itspupils that they belong to communities at a school,local,national and international level."30