Hautlieu School renews UNICEF Silver Rights Respecting School accreditation

According to the BBC, Hautlieu School in Jersey has renewed its UNICEF Silver Rights Respecting School status, reaffirming its commitment to embedding child rights at the heart of school life.

UNICEF awards the status to schools that have made strong progress in incorporating the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into their ethos and curriculum. The renewal signals that Hautlieu has maintained and built on the standards required to hold the accreditation.

Headteacher Mandy Campbell said the work of the student council and pupils' involvement in shaping school policy means students are making decisions that have a direct impact on their daily experience. Deputy head Lauren Devine added that weekly meetings, feedback forms and open sessions give pupils a practical platform to raise ideas, flag concerns and drive change.

"Over the last two years this has been developing and we are genuinely interested in giving some of our younger students the opportunity to take on leadership roles within the school," Devine said.

Students themselves have been clear about why having a voice matters. Alex noted that teachers and pupils often have different visions of what a good school looks like, making it essential that student perspectives are heard and acted upon. Aidan said she joined the student council because it creates space for pupils to shape a school where everyone feels they belong.

The council is currently turning its attention to sustainability, with students pushing for greater recycling efforts across the school. Student Scott recently proposed a pupil-led bulletin, and the group is now in the early stages of planning its first edition.