British Values
Democracy
School Council: In the main, School Councillors, from Year 1 through to Year 6, are elected by their peers through a democratic process. Teachers ask children to put themselves forward as candidates before conducting a class ballot. School Council also liaise and meet with local MPs and our School Governing Body and were instrumental in putting forward a persuasive argument for updating our school logo.
A number of the previous year’s School Council are kept on for the ensuing year in order to provide confident and competent councillors familiar with procedures which allows the group to operate with increasing independence. These experienced School Councillors then train their peers, who are new to the team.
Pupil Conferencing: School Councillors and other pupil groups e.g. Super Playrangers, Eco Tigers or an agreed cross-section from across the school, conduct pupil surveys on matters such as playground activity zones, Football rules, school meals, bullying and safety; before voting on preferred solutions or next steps.
The Right to a Fair Vote: Certain decisions on matters affecting the whole class, Key Stage Team or school are put to a vote e.g. class treats, purchase of class activity resources, choice for enterprise product, class rules, etc. Children are encouraged to vote in different contexts and for a range of purposes including on right/wrong decisions relating to circle time and P4C activities, debates for and against, drama and role-play. The School Governing Body welcome elected Parent Governors and representatives from the Governing Body attend Parent Consultations twice a year to offer parents a voice for concerns or suggestions for improving the school.
Rule of Law
Class PSHE/Assembly Discussions: Each year, the class begins Term 1 by discussing class and school rules and the reasons for having/observing them. At the start of every academic year, the class teacher begins the year by agreeing and establishing a set of ground rules and class etiquette. The Home-School Agreement and E-Safety agreement is also revisited and reinforced.
Many P4C discussions, class and assembly-based, explore morality and the need to live by common rules or laws which protect the values we cherish and promote equality for all. P4C programmes always begin by setting ground rules as a class, giving the children ownership of and respect for the rule of law.
Behaviour Management: Whole-school behaviour expectations/rules are constantly discussed and promoted. All staff follow the agreed Behaviour and Discipline policy and the staged response to negative behaviour is enshrined in this policy. Positive reward systems are in place to celebrate achievement. Every class displays the school’s ‘Golden Rules’ and when these are breached, rules are reinforced both publicly (assemblies and class assemblies) and with individuals, pairs or small groups. We link behaviour to issues of morality and social interactions.
RE: Through this subject, children study the topic ‘Rules for living’.
Liberty
Black History Month: Children learn about the past and the importance of freedom and the right to equality and free choice. They learn that we all have a collective responsibility to upholding ‘Equality for All’.
Independence and Free Choice: We offer children the freedom and the responsibility to make their own decisions that affect their learning and behaviour choices but teach them to recognise how their decisions can affect the life of the school. Our Young Leadership Team comprising Super Play Rangers, Eco-Tigers, School Council and Digital Leaders learn to model best behaviour and learning choices as well as act as representatives for all pupils across the school. Staff leading these teams bestow upon them a freedom to lead and act independently as responsible citizens.
Super Play Rangers are trained in conflict resolution and effective play strategies in order to showcase free choice in the selection of play activities and friendships during play times and lunch time breaks.
Eco Tigers promote ‘care for the environment’ and work towards goals to achieve the ‘Green Flag’.
Digital Leaders train in the use of upcoming ICT tools in order to more effectively support their teachers and peers in class situations.
School Council play a role in leading fundraising and making positive changes to the school systems e.g. in modifying our school aims in order to create a more ‘child-friendly’ set to promote across the school and our community. They also lead assemblies in order to promote the work they do. This year they have led an assembly on two fundraising events, so far raising money for Children in Need and the NSPCC.
We encourage our pupils to suggest extra-curricular lunch time clubs and offer them responsibility for setting up their own clubs [including preparing their own promotional posters and selection of club attendees].
P4C: Democracy themes are regularly explored within these lessons across the school through age-appropriate contexts.
Literacy: Themes of personal freedom are explored at age-appropriate levels across different contexts including ‘Rags to Riches’ stories and stories in which a character impinges on the freedom/liberties of another e.g. Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel and other fairy tales; in addition to other texts from a range of genres.
History: The study of significant historical events allows pupils to learn about how British Values were shaped and the impact of significant changes over studied time periods.
Respect
SEAL, P4C and PHSE: A range of topics stimulate discussions and recognition of respect for all through themes such as ‘Good to be Me’.
School policies are upheld by all staff and promoted including the Behaviour and Discipline policy, E-Safety and Home-School Agreement. These promote respect, fairness and responsibility for one’s own behaviour and for that of others through appropriate reporting systems. Class and whole-school assemblies always promote respect. Teachers and Teaching Assistants also promote respect by modelling a professional attitude and by promoting it in their teaching and across the classrooms and school community. Staff show the value of respect in the way that they liaise and collaborate with the school community and its stakeholders.
Creative Curriculum: Our curriculum is founded on a commitment to promote respect for equality, diversity and new learning about different cultures and religions.
Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs
PHSE, P4C and SEAL and Beyond: This curriculum is used to promote respect for and an interest in learning about the faiths and beliefs of all those in our school, local, national and global community. We aim to inspire an understanding and respect for those who have different faiths and beliefs to us while recognising that we each have a right to practise our own faiths and beliefs without prejudice. We believe in a community that is harmonious and rich in culture.
Literacy: This subject is used to explore sensitive themes of prejudice in class stories and study texts e.g. Bill’s New Frock by Anne Fine, Anne Frank’s Diary, etc.
Awareness of What it Means to be British
History: Through the curriculum, children will learn about British History and chronological changes over the years including changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, Tudors, etc.
RE: Faith in the local community is explored through this subject in addition to World Religions.
Geography: The curriculum provides opportunities to study the UK’s physical and human geography and famous landmarks.
The school’s policies, vision and ethos, aims and code of conduct promote the key values of being ‘British’ including right to vote, freedom of choice, respect and understanding of all cultures, faiths and beliefs, etc.