Promoting British Values

It is important that our school endeavours

“to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation 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.” DFE 2014.

We are a Values based school. Each month, the children find out about and explore a particular value. This approach enables the children to learn about the importance of Global Values with a particular reference to the fundamental British Values. This helps to support the children's social, spiritual, emotional and cultural development. Our aim is to ensure that children are prepared for, and have an appreciation of, life in modern Britain. We ensure that the fundamental British Values are introduced, discussed and lived out through our Values-based philosophy that infuses the ethos and work of the school.

These Values are:

∙ Democracy

∙ Rule of Law

∙ Individual Liberty

∙ Mutual Respect and the Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

All curriculum areas provide a vehicle for furthering understanding of these concepts and lessons provide excellent opportunities to deepen and develop understanding. Children embrace these concepts with enthusiasm and demonstrate a good understanding of their application to their own lives.

Democracy:

Our school is a democracy for all its stakeholders. All staff have a voice and most importantly so do the children. The voices of children are heard through our School Council and questionnaires. Each year, one member of each class is elected onto the School Council. Nominees are encouraged to outline to the class why they would make a good representative and the class vote. Once elected, the School Council are then responsible for holding class meetings; presenting issues raised at the council and soliciting feedback to return to the council for discussion. Children are always able to voice their opinions and we foster an environment where children are safe to disagree with each other. The children see democracy borne out in a whole variety of ways and see this as being an essential component of successful team working. Democracy is a school value that children meet when discussing respect and fairness.

In addition, there are regular opportunities for children to vote on things within their class setting.  These range from choice of reward, through to who should be chosen for certain awards and opportunities.  We strive to ensure our children understand the importance of joint decision making.

The Rule of Law:

The children at Northlands Wood Primary Academy are familiar with this concept through the strong Values-based philosophy that infuses the entire work of the school. Rules are important in our school and we all have shared responsibility for them.   An understanding of behaviour for learning expectations rules and the importance of them is part of our ethos. We refer to them daily as well as in specific school assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind our expectations; it is important for us that all children realise the value of them to promote great learning and to keep us safe. Visits from authorities such as the Police; Fire Service; local councillors and local community support officers are regular parts of our schools lives and help reinforce our high expectations of behaviour both inside and outside of school. Children are used to debating and discussing laws/rules and their application.

Individual Liberty:

Our pupils are actively encouraged to take risks and make choices. They do this knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment where it is accepted that mistakes happen, and in fact encouraged. As a school, we provide boundaries for young pupils to enable them to make choices safely, they are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms. We do this through our E-Safety lessons, PSHCE sessions and Values assemblies. Challenge and choice are key parts of all our lessons, we encourage pupils and staff to ‘take a risk’ in their learning in a safe, managed environment. We also offer numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities.  Pupils are given the freedom to make choices at every step of their school lives with us, knowing that our school is a safe places to explore individual choice and liberty. Our Values-based discussions begin with discussion about the self, e.g. self-respect and self-worth in relation to the individual value so that children see that they are important in their own right. The philosophy of our teaching and learning places emphasis on the right to have our own thoughts and evidence-based views. Children are strongly encouraged to develop independence in learning and to think for themselves.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs and Mutual Respect:

We are a culturally diverse school. We believe that children should have a clear understanding of their place in our culturally diverse society and should be given opportunities to experience diversity. We work closely with members of different faiths and religions who share their knowledge to enhance learning and acceptance within our schools.  R.E., PSHCE and other areas of the curriculum all foster an ethos of acceptance, of working with others and of respecting others’ opinions despite our own situations or beliefs. Whilst actively promoting British Values, we ensure that our school challenges pupils, staff or parents if expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views. Respect is a fundamental school value, around which pivots much of the work of the school. We pay explicit attention to this as part of our R.E. and PSHCE. The value is discussed deeply, starting with self-respect and covering respect for family, friends, and other groups; the world and its people; and the environment.