PUPILS have started their new school year by learning the most valuable of lessons – to respect each other.

Pupils, parents and members of the public were involved with a Rights Respecting Schools focus during the first week of Weymouth’s Conifers Primary School new academic year.

The five days of learning concluded with a picnic and with children releasing 300 bright pink biodegradable helium balloons with children’s rights and responsibilities written on them.

Children from each year group also presented the set of rights they had been studying to the rest of the school through songs, PowerPoint presentations, drama and rights and responsibility trees.

The pupils spent the week exploring children’s rights and responsibilities through a wide range of activities which included drama, designing flags, choosing and running clubs and developing class charters.

The week was in support of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) outlined by UNICEF.

Emma Charlton-Garrard, deputy headteacher and RRS leader said: “It has been an unusual but amazing start to the year.

“The children have learned so much and have had discussions that you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to plan for in such an appropriate context.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Miss Hawkins and her pupil voice group who planned all the activities for our last day, the staff for embracing and taking this week on so wholeheartedly and of course all of the wonderful parents, carers and members of the community for supporting Conifers in its endeavours to become a rights respecting school.”

Family, carers and members of the community joined classes where they learned about the UNCRC from the children.

The last day’s event was capped with the unveiling of the children’s first rights flag designed by Jake, Ellie and Morgan from class 1H.

The flag represented the children’s right to nutritious food, clean water, a clean environment and good healthcare.

Every class will design a flag about children’s rights which will be flown from the school flagpole.