Promoting British Values

Promoting British Values

In November 2014 the Department for Education published strengthened guidance on improving the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of children, including the requirement for schools to promote a set of fundamental British values with the aim of ensuring learners leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

The government has defined British Values as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.  We promote these values through our own school values (chosen by staff and pupils), curriculum, assemblies and enrichment activities.

Value | Democracy

Links to School Values: 
✓ Making a Positive Contribution ✓ Respect ✓ Community

Links to Our Curriculum Intent:
✓ Resilience – I can do this ✓ Life Skills – Winning at Life

How We Promote It:

• We have an elected School Council. This is used as an opportunity to promote and teach about democracy and the electoral process, and gives pupils a voice.
• We have encouraged pupils’ voice choosing our School Values, and how they expect these to be demonstrated throughout school.
• We encourage volunteerism in and out of school. This includes things like classroom monitors, lunchtime helpers, and also raising money for local and national charities. E.g. Oxfam Unwrapped/British Red Cross. This enables the pupils to see that they have a role in different communities.
• The beginnings of democracy are taught through topics such as the historical research of the Ancient Greece civilisation, and through the Viking topic re: The Thing (their governing assembly).
• Democracy is also promoted through some PSHE lessons, activities and assemblies.
• Decision making, discussion and debate are skills encouraged, promoted, developed and taught in curricular subjects such as English and Foundation.
• Pupils vote for a pupil each week to receive the Pupils’ Choice award. We want pupils to know that we value their views and opinions.
• Children are taught about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and learn to respect their rights and the rights of others.

Value | The Rule of Law

 Links to School Values: 
✓ Keeping Safe ✓ Resiliance ✓ Respect

Links to Our Curriculum Intent:
✓ Life Skills – Winning at Life

• We have high expectations of pupil behaviour and this is reflected in our Behaviour Policy, Behaviour Code and conduct around school.
• We have half-termly ‘Behaviour Ambassador’ roles, two children per class, who are chosen as having displayed high standards of behaviour and are role-models for their peers.
• Classes negotiate and sign up to class rules at the start of each academic year, and these are on display in the classroom.]
• School rules are referred to in assemblies, lessons etc. wherever applicable.
• Certain lessons in school have tailored rules to ensure a safe and comfortable learning environment e.g. PSHE Ground Rules, DT activities, Music, PE activities and extra-curricular activities
• Consistent demonstration of our values is recognised through awards such as half-termly ‘School Values Champion’ and ‘Behaviour Ambassador’ awards, and the weekly ‘Rising Star’ award and ‘Star of the Month’.
• Through our school assemblies and PSHE, children are taught how to earn trust and respect, and are supported to develop a strong sense of morality; knowing right from wrong and choosing the right thing even when it’s difficult.
• Each class has a set of carefully chosen books which are read to them at planned points during the day. These books explore different themes and give children the opportunity to experience different points of view, problems, dilemmas and resolutions that may be familiar to them, or may inspire then to consider situations from a different point of view.
• We use Restorative Practice in school to resolve conflicts. This is used by members of staff, teaching pupils to understand their own and others’ behaviour, feelings and consequences of actions. It also helps them to feel that they are all treated fairly and consistently.
• The local police officer / PCSO has visited the school to talk to the children about behaviour in relation to the law of the land.
• We have a specially developed Behaviour Board in each classroom that is a visual way of recording penalties for breaking class and school rules, but allows the children to see that good behaviour can rectify poor judgement in the past. We celebrate those children who always make the right choices with regard to behaviour.
• Children are taught about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, as a legal document which the UK Government signed in 1991, and included these rights into their laws.

Value | Individual Liberty

 Links to School Values: 
✓ Making a Positive Contribution ✓ Keeping Safe ✓ Community

Links to Our Curriculum Intent:
✓ Resilience – I can do this ✓ Life Skills – Winning at Life

• Through our school values, ethos, PSHE and other curriculum subjects, and extracurricular activities, children are taught about rights, personal responsibility, choices and aspiration. They are encouraged to choose opportunities that follow their interests or develop new ones in art, music, sport etc. celebrating individuality and challenging gender stereotypes.
• We value and promote pupils’ freedom to follow their faith and beliefs and share this with others.
• Children are encouraged to share their thoughts, opinions, views and likes/dislikes, through class discussion across all curriculum subjects and through their School Councillors.
• Children are taught how to keep themselves and others safe, including on-line. This is done through ICT lessons, assemblies, outside organisations such as the NSPCC taking assemblies, as well as through the PSHE curriculum, for example in anti-bullying week or road safety week.
• Our School ethos aims to develop positive feelings and independence of thought, celebrate achievements and effort, and promote a Growth Mindset.
• We are a Beacon school for Diversity and celebrate Diversity Month each year by exploring social norms and challenging stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice. Carefully selected texts and activities allow children to open their minds and experience the usualisation of the protected characteristics outlined in the Equality Act 2010, thus fostering respect for, acceptance, appreciation and celebration of difference.
• Children are taught about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and learn to respect their rights and the rights of others.

Value | Mutual Respect

 Links to School Values: 
✓ Respect ✓ Courtesy ✓ Kindness ✓ Community ✓ Tolerance

Links to Our Curriculum Intent:
✓ Resilience – I can do this ✓ Life Skills – Winning at Life

• We have high expectations about pupil behaviour and this is reflected in our Behaviour Policy, Single Equality Policy and School Ethos Policy.
• Through our school’s values, assemblies, PSHE and other curriculum and non-curriculum opportunities, children are taught to respect each other, to be cooperative and collaborative, be supportive and to look for similarities while being understanding of differences.
• We have established community links with the local care home and Home Instead. We visit the care home (started in COVID lockdowns, where we sang and made cards for them), and we make Santagrams and write cards at Christmas to people who are living on their own.
• Each class collaboratively creates a Mission statement, which includes Attitude to Learning, Behaviour, Classroom Management, Attendance and Welcoming of others statements.
• Staff model positive relationships, manners and good listening skills to and with children throughout the course of each school day to ensure that children feel valued and respected.
• We promote the idea of ‘parents as partners’ so that parents feel involved in their child’s education and that their views are appreciated and respected.
• We work to ensure that children feel secure, respected and valued as members of our school community, by listening to them in a variety of ways – individually, through School Council, lesson feedback, Pupil Voice activities etc. and working with them in ways to improve our teaching, pastoral care and school environment.
• Protected Groups under the Equality Act 2010 are included in teaching throughout the curriculum, such as in PSHE Different Family Units, English with Diversity texts, learning about different cultures and faiths in RE, and when using images to illustrate teaching points, to encourage acceptance and appreciation of others and their views as customary. We also celebrate Diversity Month in June, where lessons in all curriculum areas address diversity issues, for example children experience Blind Football in PE.
• Children are taught about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and learn to respect their rights and the rights of others.

Value | Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs

 Links to School Values: 
✓ Tolerance ✓ Friendship ✓ Community

• We have high expectations about pupil behaviour and this is reflected in our Behaviour Policy, Single Equality Policy and School Ethos Policy.
• Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs is promoted through the West Yorkshire Syllabus for Religious Education. Children learn about different religions, their beliefs and traditions, places of worship and festivals from staff and their peers. They are encouraged to recognise and value similarities and differences.
• This is also enhanced in assemblies that celebrate different religious figures, festivals, special days and beliefs.
• Our Foundation Curriculum encourages children to learn about different communities and the world around them, using trips, videos, fiction and non-fiction texts etc. comparing and contrasting them.
• Children are taught about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and learn to respect their rights and the rights of others.

Values Are:

✓ Things that are important to us and central to our lives both as individuals and collectively
✓ Deeply held principles that guide our thinking, choices and behaviours and influence how we manage our emotions.