British Values Policy

In accordance with The Department for Education, we aim to actively promote British values in our school to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law.

Our School Aims

Our aims stand upon three fundamental principles;

  • To provide every child with the life skills to become successful learners who reach their full potential.
  • To provide a safe, supportive, stimulating and inclusive environment where every child is recognised, cared for, encouraged and valued.
  • Actively ensure the involvement of the whole community, particularly families, who have a vital role in supporting their children’s education. This partnership will encourage healthy and positive attitudes motivating children to become life-long learners.

How St Nicholas Primary School maintains it’s unique, family ethos and promotes Fundamental British Values.

When asking our children what is special about St Nicholas they reply: “We are a small school, with a big heart and a love for learning”. They also say, “We are rich because we have so many cultures”. Other comments include; and “We never give up”…

We believe that our school has a very strong, caring ethos which we have developed, over time, with you, your children, your families, staff and governors.

Schools are required to provide for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of their pupils. As part of this requirement, we are expected to actively promote fundamental British values.

Our school’s ethos already includes many aspects of the government’s fundamental British values. For example, we expect our children to follow the school rules and show kindness to one another. Promoting fundamental British values will reinforce, not change, our current ethos.

As well as making links through our safeguarding calendar, British values are also taught explicitly once per half term.

  • Autumn 1: Individual Liberty
  • Autumn 2: Tolerance
  • Spring 1:Democracy
  • Spring 2: Rule of Law
  • Summer 1: Mutual Respect
  • Summer 2:Individual Liberty

What are ‘fundamental British values’?

The government defines these as:

  • Democracy
  • The rule of law
  • Individual liberty
  • Mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

Democracy – what do we do?

  • Class voting for the election of school councillors and house captains at the start of the year;
  • Annual school wide campaign and election for our head boy/girl;
  • Provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services;
  • Advertising and interviewing for job posts for children in schools (ambassadors)
  • Teach pupils how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process;
  • Taught through assemblies and our school curriculum;
  • Encourage pupils to become involved in decision-making processes and ensure they are listened to in school;
  • Help pupils to express their views;
  • Links throughout our safeguarding calendar and school council;
  • Model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged;
  • Pupils vote as to which after schools we should provide;
  • Whole school workshops in houses

Rule of law – what do we do?

  • Ensure school rules and expectations are clear and fair;
  • Class rules and celebration of adhering to these rules;
  • Help pupils to distinguish right from wrong;
  • Help pupils to respect the law and the basis on which it is made;
  • Help pupils to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals;
  • Explore within our PSHE lessons what to do if peer pressure is trying to persuade children to break these;
  • Promote the Children’s Rights through our PSHE curriculum and assemblies;
  • Refer to the Equality Act 2010 throughout our curriculum and assemblies (particularly linking to protected characteristics)
  • Links throughout our safeguarding calendar and school council;
  • Visits from police to discuss safety in the local area (also making links to child safety week).

Individual liberty – what do we do?

  • Support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem, self-confidence;
  • Links throughout our safeguarding calendar and school council;
  • Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights;
  • Model freedom of speech through pupil participation, while ensuring protection of vulnerable pupils and promoting critical analysis of evidence
  • Challenge stereotypes (particularly through our PSHE curriculum);
  • Implement a strong anti-bullying culture (we are a ABA anti-bullying campaign school;
  • E-Safety units of work are taught throughout school and parents and staff receive training on these.

 Mutual Respect and tolerance of different cultures and religions– what do we do?

  • Use the Equality Act (particularly protected characteristics) as a basis through our curriculum and through assemblies to promote respect for individual differences and to actively challenge stereotypes;
  • Explore positive role models (where possible) through our topics who reflect the protected characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act;
  • Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour;
  • Organise visits to places of worship;
  • Celebration assemblies for important religious and non-religious events (with support from our religion and worldviews ambassadors);
  • Our religion and worldviews curriculum scheme ensures that our children have a good understanding of a range of religious beliefs and customs (enhanced by trips and faith week);
  • Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life;
  • Use of oracy hand gesture to disagree in a respectful way with the answers of others whilst in class.

Links to other policies:

RSHE

E-Safety

Behaviour

Safeguarding