British Values
Promoting British Values at St Mary’s C of E Primary School
The DfE have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values":
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
St Mary’s serves a multi-faith community where each person in respected and valued equally without regard to ability, gender, faith, heritage or race.
At St Mary’s C of E Primary school the British Values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy
Democracy is strongly promoted within the school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our Pupil Voice groups and Pupil questionnaires. The elections of Junior Leaders and other pupil voice groups, as well as a range of classroom and whole school helpers take place in pupil votes.
The Rule of Law
The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. We are following a Restorative Approach to support making good choices and reflecting on poor choices and how to mend damaged relationships.
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school, we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect
Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around Core Values- Kindness, Courage and Trust- and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. Displays in each classroom, the hall and around the school promote showing these values to others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning rules, as well as our behaviour policy and vision statement.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Assembly themes are followed up and supported by learning in RE and PSHE discussions. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.
We value the diverse ethnic backgrounds of all pupils and families as it teaches tolerance and respect for the differences in our community and the wider world.
We have celebrate Pause days each half term to reflect on the Core Peace Principles of different faiths.
The school undertakes assemblies which uphold traditional values of empathy, respect and tolerance. These are also taught within formal SCARF (PSHE), Story Project (see Year 1 overview in image below and Year 6 Malala Yusafsi Unit attached), Project Evolve and RE lessons and on an informal nature throughout the school year.
