Rhayader Church in Wales Primary School

Ysgol Gynradd Eglwys yng Nghymru Rhaeadr Gwy

Peace Mala Self Evaluation Form for Silver Award

2019

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A Peace Mala School is committed to placing the vision and message of Peace Malaat the heart-centre of its values system. The seven key areas for action:

Area One

Becoming a Peace Mala School is part of the whole School Development Plan approved bystaff and the Governing Body. This is shared with the whole school community. During everyacademic year, a chosen year group will study and explore Peace Mala by using the kits andeducational materials. This encourages Peace Mala continuity in the school curriculum and

ensures that every pupil will have encountered the message and vision of Peace Mala beforethey leave the school. The school will also share good practice with other schools who are

members of the global community of Peace Mala.

Rhayader Church in Wales Primary School continues to share the message of Peace Mala. It has been written into the School Development Plans after being agreed to by the governors. There is a notice board at the school’s main entrance which has the targets of the SDP in child friendly language for all visitors to the school to see. The school website features the work of the school and the Peace Mala.

Peace Mala Silver re-accreditation is one of our targets for 2018 - 2019.

Since 2014, all children in Year 3 are introduced to Peace Mala and make bracelets in the Autumn Term. Initially, all of the Key Stage 2 children made the bracelet and then just Year 3.In January 2019 to celebrate the Silver accreditation the whole school is going to have a Peace Mala day and all children will have a bracelet to wear.

Peace Mala is regularly discussed in whole school assemblies and the message we treat others as we would like to be treated is promoted throughout all of the school’s work.

A Peace Mala dove is displayed on the screen at the start of whole school assembly to signifythe start of the service. The Golden Rule message is also displayed in the hall and corridor.

Peace Mala is discussed in the Pupil Voice committee which meets each Tuesday.

There is a Peace Mala Tree in the school entrance from which the children’s prayers and promises are hung.

There are a number of Peace Mala doves which have been made from the wood felled in the school grounds. These are displayed around the school site and each has a special messagewritten by the Pupil Voice committee.

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The school is a KiVa school that teaches children to work co-operatively and when conflicts arise to deal with these positively through restorative practice. Children are reminded of The Golden Rule of Peace Mala during this practice.

Our assemblies enable children to explore local and world issues and provide a time of reflection.

At Rhayader Church in Wales Primary School, we continue to not only teach about Christianity but also other faiths, in detail Judaism and Hinduism.

Children and staff have supported Peace Mala with community and interfaith events such as The Peace Mala Inter-faith Liturgy for World Peace at Llandaff Cathedral in 2017. We will also be involved in the Peace Mala Youth Liturgy for World Peace at Brecon Cathedral in 2019.

Rhayader pupils lead the procession of the faiths into Llandaff Cathedral

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Our School Choir has performed Peace songs at several events in the community, including ‘Iam a small part of the World’, ‘When I grow up’. The school has learnt the Peace mala Anthem too.

Area Two

By engaging with Peace Mala the school is committed to education for global citizenshipthrough the promotion of understanding, respect, friendship, tolerance and peace between all

communities, cultures and enlightened, compassionate faiths. Peace Mala promotes andencourages community cohesion.

The school curriculum continues to provide opportunities for children to further develop their understanding of global citizenship, world faiths, the environment and community cohesion e.g. Fairtrade, Travelling the World workshops.

The school embraces the Rights of the Child. Charters are displayed in the Key Stage 2 corridor and Rights and Responsibilities are read and discussed. International Child’s Rights Day is celebrated annually.

The school continues to have policies supporting equality, inclusion and diversity.

Fundraising events, for both local and national charities, continue to be a regular occurrence at the school, Harvest collection for the Red Cross Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami Appeal, Children in Need, Comic Relief and Sports Relief and any charity that the children themselves nominate.

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A Peace Mala workshop continues to be held annually in the Autumn in Year 3. A whole Key Stage day is held annually. Doves are made and prayers and wishes written on them. The doves are then hung in each classroom, the office, corridor, on our Peace Mala tree etc

Whole school assemblies regularly refer to Peace Mala.

Tea, coffee, sugar etc used in our PTA events continue to be Fairtrade, as asked for by the School Council. Staff purchase Fairtrade items whenever possible.

Area Three

By using Peace Mala in the classroom, the school supports human rights and helps preventbullying and all forms of prejudice.

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Our School Choir performs a selection of Peace songs at various concerts in the community.

On Remembrance Day, all children keep a minute’s silence. We took part in the local service and made our own wreathes.

The school “sells” poppies on behalf of the British Legion every Autumn Term.

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The school continues its links with our Police-School Liaison Officer. He visits and educates the children as part of the Dyfed-Powys Police School Liaison Programme. The lesson “Sticksand Stones” for Years 3 and 4 has an anti-bullying theme. The lesson “Diversity” for Year 6 has an anti-racism theme. Lessons also include keeping safe on the internet and anti-cyber bullying.

Our School Council conducts a KiVa survey on bullying annually. The results show incidencesof bullying are rare but when reported, they are effectively dealt with.

Rhayader Church in Wales Primary School are proud to be an inclusive school and celebrate our Deaf Culture. Children are taught British Sign Language and sign along to songs in assemblies and concerts. The Deaf Awareness bus has visited the school as has the Deaf Assist dogs.

Rhayader Church in Wales Primary School is an Autism Aware School and promotes understanding ofothers and treating others with respect.

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Area Four

Peace Mala encourages the school to raise awareness of issues of globalinterdependence and encourages active compassion by learners that will lead to

positive changes locally and globally..

Environmental issues are raised through Pupil Voice and Gardening Club.

The school celebrates its unique grounds and hosts a Christmas Market each year that celebrates natural gifts and items. The children have made and sold gifts made from natural things found in our school grounds.

We have planted bulbs in a local housing estate flower bed as part of a community garden project and also Year 3 and 4 planted poppies to remember 100 years of the First World War. Reception class have planted daffodils in preparation for our Spring watch event in 2019.

Our Science planning at Key Stage 2 continues to support sustainability and global interdependence via topics such as “Habitats” and “Adaptation and Interdependence”. We regularly visit the Elan Valley Visitor Centre to look at habitats and the environment.

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The school continues to support Red Nose Day, Sports Relief and Children in Need, raising over £400 for Children in Need in November 2018.

Classes access on-line assemblies and activities for charities.

Area Five

Peace Mala encourages the celebration of cultural, racial and religious diversity through art,music, drama and dance.

Children are encouraged to celebrate and share their experiences of a range of festivals with others e.g. Christmas, Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hanukkah etc.

RE/PSE lessons continue to provide children with opportunities to research faiths and engagein artwork, food making and tasting, music and dance. Foundation Phase children “study” festivals throughout the year. Year 3 to 6 also study other faiths.

Every year children take part in school Eisteddfod on March 1st. We celebrate Wales and being Welsh.

Our School Choir learns to sing and sign a variety of peace songs and also citizenship songs that celebrate sharing and accepting everyone is different but should be treated equally. The school sings the Peace Mala anthem “One Light”.As part of Anti-bullying week we learnt ‘This is Me’ to encourage the children to understand to be proud of who you are and celebrate that you are unique.

https://www.facebook.com/rhayader.primary/videos/591230611333929/

Area Six

With Peace Mala the school actively promotes environmental sustainability, healthyeating and respect for all animals and wildlife.

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Every class has a paper recycling bin and the school also has facilities for recycling plastics, glass/ tins and food.

Fruit waste and Garden waste is composted in our compost bin area.

The school also has facilities for recycling batteries and printer ink cartridges.

. The school takes part in the Rags2Richesl scheme every year, which recycles clothes and

fabrics.

The school grounds make use of water butts to use in our gardens.

Eco Club continues to participate in Keep Wales Tidy litter picking events. We have a litter pick planned for the town in the Spring 2019 jointly with the Town Council.

The school has been awarded the fifth Healthy School leaf in 2018 and continues to promote a healthy lifestyle including the mile a day and now 15 minutes of activity and Year 5 and 6 have developed a woodland workout area.

The PSE, Science and D&T curriculum help to develop children's awareness of healthy eating, as does our fruit shop at breaktimes.

The PE curriculum, lunch time and after school clubs and local running events promote exercise and healthy lifestyles.

Years 5 and 6 have recently designed and built a Woodland workout area to promote healthy living through exercise and also to increase mental well-being.

Our garden club continues to involve the planting and maintenance of our vegetable areas.

Our Computer Ambassadors lead the school in keeping safe on the Internet and educate parents and pupils about cyber-bullying.

Police School Liaison Programme includes lessons on keeping safe – stranger danger, internet safety, drug and alcohol awareness, which the school continues to deliver.

Some classes have experienced first- hand care for animals including gineau pigs (Gwalch Bach pets), a tortoise in Aderyn Y To and visits from a lamb.

Foundation Phase classes visit a local farm and have visits from a vet.

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Area Seven

With Peace Mala the school encourages Peace Education by forming a School Peace Counciland engaging in peace activities.

The school Prayer Areas offer a place for reflection and is continuing to be developed to have representations of multi faiths.

Children are provided with a time of reflection in assemblies.

The Pupil Voice committee serve as the school's Peace Council.

Children and staff have supported Peace Mala through attending and participating in the Service at Llandaff Cathedral in 2017.

Each October/December, the whole school visits Cwmdauddwr and St. Clements Church to celebrate Harvest/Christmas. We take part in the festival in July and sing at services throughout the year.

In November, the whole school observes a minute’s silence during our Remembrance Day assembly.

Each November, pupils visit the clock tower and war memorial and writes names on poppies which are displayed around school.

Key Stage 2 take part in the Valentine Peace Project every February 14th. The pupils make and present flowers and a peace message is giving in a card. Friendship acrostics are writtenon hearts and hang their poems on the Peace Mala tree.

Kindness day on November 13th is celebrated by the whole school. Poems and artwork is displayed around the school.

The school celebrates anti-bulling week annually and discusses what it is to be a good friend. The KiVa principles are celebrated in PSE lessons and a KiVa day is held to stop bullying.

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