Child-friendly School Survey Annex 2a - Introduction and Self-assessment Tool

Aug 31, 2026

A child-friendly school survey introduction explains what “school” means and how a supportive learning environment is created through interaction among pupils, teachers, families, and the community. It defines when a school can be called child-friendly, emphasizing children’s rights to education, health, play, protection, expression, and participation in decision-making. It also outlines responsibilities linked to rights. A self-assessment tool guides schools in planning how to achieve child-friendly goals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryForms

FormatDOCX

Pages12

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

How did you like school?

What is a school?

What makes up a school?

Who provides the learning environment?

When can a school be called a ‘Child-friendly School’?

What exactly is a ‘Child-friendly School’ and how can our school become one?

What should a Child-friendly School aim to achieve?

SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL

How should our school go about achieving the goals of the Child-friendly school?

Accomplishing specific targets

How our school scored

So, is our school Child-friendly?

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION How did you like school? What is a school? What makes up a school? Who provides the learning environment? When can a school be called a ‘Child-friendly School’? What exactly is a Child-friendly School and how can our school become one? What should a Child-friendly School aim to achieve? SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL How should our school go about achieving the goals of the Child-friendly school? Accomplishing specific targets How our school scored So, is our school Child-friendly? How did you like school? Many of us look at school as a place for serious learning but rarely as a place for one to enjoy learning activities and have a say in what one needs and wants to learn. When you were in school, were you ever consulted as to what you wanted to learn and how you wanted to learn them? If you were lucky enough to have been asked, were you able to freely suggest ways and activities by which you could learn more effectively? Rights and enjoyment are perhaps words often left out of any student handbook or school circular. Now that you are a teacher, principal or parent, are you the type who believes that being ‘soft’ on children will only make them learn or study less? Or that giving them ‘choices’ and allowing them to express themselves freely will only diminish discipline – discipline to make them sit up and listen to their lessons? Each of us probably has his or her own idea or approach to education and how we can make children ‘learn’. Regardless of the differences in our opinions, many of us would probably agree that SCHOOL IS FOR CHILDREN. Perhaps, we could further firm up this agreement by coming up with some common definitions... What is a school? Let us consult our dictionaries. Do you have one in your school? All dictionaries would probably contain any or some of the following definitions: 1) an institution devoted primarily to imparting knowledge or developing certain skills; 2) the building or buildings in which instruction is given; 3) any sphere or means of instruction. What makes up a school? Since it is safe to agree that ‘school’ is for those needing or seeking knowledge or instruction, it should be primarily composed of learners or pupils. Where there are pupils, there should also be teachers who care for children, provide for their learning needs, and nurture their interests. Then, there is the physical school – the school building and its facilities – classrooms, gymnasium or activity area, grounds for young children to romp and play, toilet facilities, drinking fountains, and the like. Did we miss anything? Well, yes there’s still one more and probably the most important one of all. It’s all people and things that we’ve mentioned combined...and more. It is called the learning environment. The learning environment is more than just the sum total of all these – people (pupils and teachers) and things around them – parents, brothers, sisters, other relatives, and other people and things in the community where the school is located. When all these INTERACT, and interact FAVORABLY with each other, a lot of wonderful things can happen to the child’s learning. Remember that learning does not only occur within the four walls of a classroom. Learning continues when the pupil returns from school to his or her family, mingles with the neighbors and playmates, runs an errand to the sari-sari store, attends with his or her family a religious service at their place of worship, and does tens of other things. A healthy learning environment not only enhances the child’s academic achievement but also ensures his or her physical, psychological, social, and emotional growth. Who provides the ‘learning environment’? School principals, teachers, parents and families, community institutions such as your local barangay council, other community members and the children themselves support each other in creating and enhancing the ‘learning environment’. When can a school be called a ‘Child-friendly School’? A

FAQs

How does the document define “a school” and what elements should be included?

A school is described as an institution focused on imparting knowledge or skills, including learners, teachers, the physical school facilities, and the broader learning environment. The learning environment is emphasized as more than the sum of people and facilities.

When can a school be called a “Child-friendly School”?

A child-friendly school recognizes and respects a range of children’s rights beyond education, including health, play and leisure, protection from harm and abuse, freedom of expression, and participation in decisions based on their evolving capacities.

What does the survey’s self-assessment tool help a school do?

It guides the school on how to achieve child-friendly goals by setting specific targets, reviewing how the school scores, and evaluating whether the school is truly child-friendly.

Aug 31, 2026

Upload by Alex Sinclair