British Values

What are British Values?

Schools have been asked to explain how they promote British values. So what are ‘British’ values? There are certain values that have been attributed to being British, by the government and some institutions, and these fall into the following broad areas:

• Democracy
• The Rule of Law
• Individual Liberty
• Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Democracy

At Kirk Merrington Primary School children will encounter these principles throughout everyday school life. Our activities and the way we manage learning and behaviour, clearly reflects British values. We promote these values in the following ways:

• Provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services – by discussing these whenever appropriate in curriculum work
• Teach pupils how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process – e.g. in our School Council work
• Include in the curriculum information on the advantages and disadvantages of democracy and how it works in Britain – e.g. when considering periods of history where democracy was not as fully developed as it is now
• Encourage pupils to be become involved in decision-making processes and ensure they are listened to in school – again through the work of the School Council
• Hold ‘mock elections’ so pupils learn how to argue and defend points of view e.g. when electing representatives to the School Council for each class and when appointing ‘Buddies’ to work in school
• Help pupils to express their views e.g. through English lessons and opportunities to present work and opinions
• Model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged e.g. through our interactions with pupils and the school’s behaviour system and discussing scenarios in assemblies and class PHSE work

The Rule of Law

Our pupils will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives. We want our pupils to understand that whether these laws govern the class, the school. The community or the country, they are set to protect us and must be adhered to. The importance of rules will be consistently reinforced through everyday lessons, assemblies and other aspects of the curriculum using our school behaviour system and class dojo rewards. Throughout the year we welcome visits from members of the wider community including police, the fire brigade and many more. For the children to gain a better understanding:

• Ensure school rules and expectations are clear and fair e.g. by discussing these with pupils and establishing classroom rules with the pupils themselves
• Help pupils to distinguish right from wrong e.g. during everyday interactions and discussions of stories, fables and other literary materials
• Help pupils to respect the law and the basis on which it is made e.g. by showing how rules help everyone to interact in an orderly and fair manner and protect the vulnerable in society
• Help pupils to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals
• Include visits from the police in the curriculum e.g. have sessions with the Community Police Officers and visits from the Fire Service
• Teach pupils aspects of both civil and criminal law and discuss how this might differ from some religious laws
• Develop appro9aches focused on fairness and justice to resolve conflicts e.g. as part of sanctions in our approach to behaviour

Individual Liberty

We create a positive culture in our school so that children are in a safe environment where choices and freedom are encouraged. Children in KS2 are given the opportunity to choose reading books from their appropriate level and library books based on their interests. Children can choose to attend a range of clubs after school. Children are encouraged:

• To support and develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence e.g. through all areas of teaching and learning in school
• Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights
• Challenge stereotypes e.g. through SMSC/PHSE work and assemblies
• Implement a strong anti-bullying culture – as enshrined in our policies for Anti-Bullying and Behaviour

Mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

At Kirk Merrington Primary School pupils learn to treat each other, staff and other adults with respect. In RE lessons, all major religions are studied and respected. Through our curriculum and daily school life we are to demonstrate tolerance and help children to become understanding citizens of the future. This is underpinned by:

• Promoting respect for individual differences in all areas of learning and interaction
• Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and the ways of life e.g. through our Religious Education work and SMSC/PHSE
• Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour e.g. through discussion and use of illustrative materials as well as our approach to behaviour in school
• Organise visits to places of worship e.g. visits to the local churches and other diverse places of worship as appropriate to the curriculum
• Develop critical personal thinking skills throughout our curricular work
• Discuss differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations, such as looked-after children or young carers e.g. through our SMSC/PHSE and broader curricular work and through visitors to school sharing their experiences.