HAVELOCK PRIMARY SCHOOL pupils and staff raised awareness of the Syrian refugee crisis with their celebration of OutRight last month.

The nationwide celebration of children’s rights organised by Unicef UK saw pupils at Havelock Primary host an OutRight exhibition on Friday, November 25 – showcasing their work to the community and Southall MP Virendra Sharma.

Established as one of the hundreds of Unicef’s Rights Respecting Schools across the UK, headteacher Clare Rees said the school started their journey last year and felt it was vital to educate children about their rights in society.

She said: “As adults, or in Unicef terms – duty bearers, we take it quite seriously.

“It’s very high profile in this school, and I think that’s why it’s having this impact, because it’s not a bolt-on, it’s at the heart of what we do.

“It’s really resonated with them, the plight of the refugee children, and you can tell this in the poetry and the very detailed drawings they have made and created.

“So it’s had a big impact, but it’s also an exciting moment to be recognised.”

The day saw weeks of preparation in class and assemblies come to life with drawings, poems and letters written to the Home Secretary, allowing the pupils to speak about the current refugee crisis and ask Amber Rudd to reunite refugee children with their families in the UK.

“It’s very sad. We have our rights, and it’s important for them to have their rights because I think underneath we are all the same,” said nine-year-old Kiranjot Kaur.

The OutRight campaign, which calls on MPs to ask the Home Secretary to protect the rights of unaccompanied refugee children, saw Southall MP Mr Sharma speak of his role as MP and share his support in giving the handwritten letters to Ms Rudd.

He said: “Those people who need help I can assist them, guide them and try to find the solutions to their problems.

“It’s important to understand your rights and the responsibilities together. Not the rights alone, but your responsibilities towards society.

“Education and learning are the most important part of your life and making sure you adapt that learning to your day to day life.”

Mrs Rees added: “I think this has given us an opportunity for the children to see how maybe a member of parliament can have that impact.

“We’re going to give Mr Sharma all the letters the children have written to Amber Rudd and we hope that she will respond to us.

“They are all individually written, and they’re quite heartfelt, so I hope that it has some impact.”

Embedding the rights of children into a school’s ethos and culture, the Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools Award celebrates the anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was established in 1989 and made a set of commitments to children across the world.

Jonathan Bailey, senior leader for the Unicef Rights Respecting Award at the school, said: “Anything that can encourage children to take ownership of their education I was all for and the Unicef Rights Respecting Award gave our children the opportunity to do just that.

“The overall aim is to produce rights respecting children who grow up to become responsible citizens of the world.”

Mrs Rees added: “As we’re a rights respecting school, we look at all children wherever they are, and we often remember how lucky we are that we have a school, an education and things we take for granted.

“The children we’re looking at don’t seem to have any of those rights and some of them have been separated from their families.

“I think it’s important for the pupils, being citizens of the future, to be able to be outward facing and to recognise that other people have a difficult time and they need to recognise that.”

The campaign has so far gained the support of more than 4,000 primary and secondary schools across the UK and many have reported a positive impact on behaviour, relationships and well-being, leading to better learning, improved academic standards and a reduction in bullying.