We are a rights respecting school. This means that we teach pupils that they have rights and responsibilities. All pupils are expected to carry out responsibilities around school, in order to have the right to come to a school which is both a happy and safe place to be, as well as a well-looked after environment. Pupils take on a variety of responsibilities: help lunchtime staff in the dining hall after lunch to clear chairs away, litter-pick, librarians, gardening responsibilities and playground pals. Year 6 are elected house team captains and vice-captains. All classes elect two School Councillors and Rights Respecting Ambassadors. Playground pals are trained and supervised weekly. Pupils in all year groups look after the ‘Be Creative’ and ‘Wonder & Curiosity’ huts. Pupils become buddies with new starters. Ofsted in January 2020 stated, “Leaders have ensured that the school promotes equality through teaching explicit philosophy lessons. Pupils prove this through the way they speak to each other with respect.”
We have a house team system, with annually elected House Captains and Vice-Captains . Children are placed in one of four house teams: Beamish, Greencroft, Harperley or Tanfield. Pupils’ individual house points are added together for their house team, to see who is the winner of the house team shield in every Friday celebration assembly. This helps to promote team responsibility and team spirit, as do other half-termly house team activities: team-building, rights respecting work, school vision work, local charity fundraising.
Ofsted in January 2020 stated, “Pupils feel valued. Children are well behaved and can resolve conflict independently. …All pupils are treated equally well…Pupils’ excellent personal development is a significant feature of this school. Pupils behave well and are eager to learn. Older pupils act as role models and support younger pupils….Personal development is outstanding because the school goes over and above to provide rich experiences for every pupil.”
Below are examples of our house teams rights respecting charters, “Annfield Plain’s Big Promise”.
