British Values
British Values
The Department for Education state that there is a need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
We take our responsibility to prepare children for life in modern Britain very seriously and ensure that the fundamental British Values are introduced, discussed and lived out through the ethos and work of our school. Our curriculum promotes respect for the views of each individual child, as well as for people of all cultures. We value the spiritual and moral development of each person, as well as their intellectual and physical growth. We organise our curriculum so that we promote co-operation and understanding between all members of our community. All curriculum areas provide a vehicle for furthering understanding of these concepts. In particular, our RE, SMSC, PSHE and HRE lessons provide excellent opportunities to deepen, develop, understand and actively promote their application to their own lives. Actively promoting also means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.
DEMOCRACY
Respect for democracy, democratic participation and active involvement of all pupils is evident across the school. We aim to provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services. Our aim is to teach pupils how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process. For example: Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard and are able to express their views freely through our Pupil questionnaires, pupil teacher conferencing and School Council who have set up their own committee. Our pupils value the opportunity to help those less fortunate than themselves and raise considerable funds for charities. The elections of School Council representatives each year are based on pupil votes (which helps to highlight some of the advantages and disadvantages of democracy and how it works in Britain). This effective involvement of pupils in democratic procedures enables them to influence and make decisions in matters which affect their lives within school.
Our school behaviour policy involves rewards and sanctions which the pupils vote on and so can facilitate understanding of wider issues within the context of learning about the values on which our society is founded and our system of democratic government. Pupils are involved in deciding class rules and pupil charters linked to SMSC outcomes.
THE RULE OF LAW
The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught to have respect for the basis on which the law is made and how the law is applied in England. We aim to teach children the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect all of us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Throughout the year we welcome visits from members of the wider community and from public institutions such as the Police, the Fire Service and the Mayor’s office to help reinforce the importance of the Rule of Law for our pupils. We ensure that school rules and expectations are clear and fair and our pupils understand that rules are there to protect us just as living under the rule of law protects all individuals.
INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY
We support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and how to exercise these safely, for example through our Online Safety, PSHE, RE lessons and assemblies, and menu choices. Pupils are taught to respect the rights of others and to consider their responsibilities toward other people including taking responsibility for their behaviour. Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for pupils to make choices safely through provision of a safe and secure environment and empowering education. Whether it is through choice of challenge, or of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. We welcome freedom of speech through pupil participation, while ensuring protection of vulnerable pupils and challenging stereotyping of others. We implement and actively promote a strong dignity and respect culture and invite visitors into school to support our policy.
MUTUAL RESPECT
Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy revolves around our STAARR Values and are used as themes for assemblies (sportsmanship, tolerance, appreciation, aspiration, resilience and respect). These
impact positively on the behaviour, attitudes and relationships of the whole school community. Pupils are expected to show mutual respect towards everything and everyone, regardless of individual differences, at all times. Visitors often comment positively on the values and behaviours of pupils.
All children, adults and visitors are expected to behave respectfully and we will challenge anybody who displays prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour. Pupils take part in assemblies and class discussions related to what this means and how it is shown.
TOLERANCE OF THOSE OF DIFFERENT FAITHS AND BELIEFS
We help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life. This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding, through the curriculum, of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving pupils opportunities to experience such diversity, for example through exploring stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths. Worships and discussions involving identifying and combating discrimination, prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. Our school is part of a local network of schools, LA linking schools project and IMO citizenship programmes which enables children of different faiths, cultures and backgrounds to meet and socialise through a range of different learning opportunities such as sports, music and enterprise events. We encourage children to participate in a wide range of events and provide opportunities for pupils to serve the wider community in order to nurture tolerance and harmony, understanding and respect between all members of our society.
We promote British Values in a variety of ways; we hold elections for our school council representatives, remember the heroes who have fought for our country, raise money for a variety of charities, hold special theme days/weeks as well as and many more events...