British Values
In accordance with The Department for Education we aim to actively promote British values in schools 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.
The Key Values are:
- Democracy
- Rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
British-values-for-parents-carers.pdf
Prevent-strategy-for-parents-carers.pdf
Hadleigh Junior School – British Values Statement
The government set out their definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy. These were reinforced in Sept 2014. These new regulations will sit alongside the requirements of the Equalities Act, which also applies to all types of school.
Schools will be expected to focus on, and be able to show, how our work with pupils is effective in embedding fundamental British values.
Promoting British values at Hadleigh Junior School
The Department for Education’s five-part definition of British values is:
- democracy
- the rule of law
- individual liberty
- mutual respect
- tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
British Values are promoted throughout everyday school life at Hadleigh Juniors with strong links to the Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural (SMSC) aspects of the curriculum and during our school assemblies, Religious Education (RE) and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) lessons. Listed below are some examples of how we promote British values in our school community:
Democracy
Hadleigh Juniors, we ensure that all pupils have a voice which is listened to. This plays a central part in developing school improvement priorities. Our pupil School Parliament members are elected by their class peers, they meet weekly and are involved in making our school a better place to learn. The school parliament also make decisions on fundraising and where to spend money raised in the school. Hadleigh Juniors, we have a peer elected PSHE council and an Eco Team. We undertake pupil questionnaires and interviews throughout the school year.
The Rule of Law
As our pupils will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives, we want them to appreciate that they are set for good reasons and must be adhered to. We want our pupils to understand that while different people may hold different views about what is right or wrong, all people living in England are subject to its law, and that this law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety. We explore this through RE and PSHE lessons and focused assemblies.
Staff consistently reinforce high expectations of pupils. Pupils know that rules in school are there to protect us, everyone has responsibility and that there may be consequences when rules are disregarded (see our school Behaviour Policy).
Throughout the school year we welcome visits from members of the wider community including police, war veterans, church groups and local councillors. We believe that clear explanations and real life stories emphasise the importance of the rule of law for our pupils. We have close links with the community with the pupils visiting local churches and other places of worship.
Individual Liberty
All Hadleigh Juniors, staff work hard to create a positive culture and a safe environment in our school. Pupils are encouraged to make choices knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. We encourage children to choose tasks that will challenge them in lessons and we give them more freedom to determine their own learning, especially in our topic sessions.
Mutual respect
Mutual respect is at the core of our school life for adults and pupils alike. We have an environment within which pupils feel safe and secure. Pupils learn to treat each other, staff and property with respect. This is one of our fundamental school values and is evident when walking around the school and in the classrooms. Staff consistently model and promote the behaviours and attitudes that are the foundation of positive relationships. We celebrate the worth, individuality and achievement of pupils in our weekly celebration assemblies.
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
We offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and respected. Through RE and PSHE lessons, we provide opportunities for pupils to develop tolerance of and empathy towards those from different faiths, beliefs and cultures. We help the pupils to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens who can build a better Britain for the future through our curriculum and the routines of our daily school life.
As well as promoting British values, at Hadleigh Juniors, we would actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views and principles. All staff have undertaken Prevent training.
