What are British Values?

The DfE have recently reinforced the need for schools 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
• Tolerance & Respect.

How do we promote ‘British Values’ at Escomb Primary School?

We seek to promote British values in our policies and practice. Our activities and the way we manage learning and behaviour clearly reflect British values. We promote these values in the following ways:

Democracy

We actively seek children’s views in the following ways:

• • Our V.I.P. group and Class Councils, SNAG group, Eco Group
  • Giving children a voice e.g. purchase of new playground equipment/designs; routines and systems at lunchtimes. Involving children in deciding on and organising whole school events.
  • Annual questionnaires seeking children’s views
  • Design of the new curriculum- children working with teachers as to what is taught.
  • Whole School ethos: through our interactions with children and the school’s behaviour system/ Restorative Approach.
  • We also discuss scenarios in assemblies and class PHSE/SEAL work.

The Rule of Law

The importance of having rules is stressed every day so that our school is a calm and safe place to be.  Pupils are taught the values and reasons behind rules; that they govern and keep us safe, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when rules are broken.

• The ways that we do this in school:
  • Consistent behaviour system (‘Good to Be Green’)
  • Restorative Approach to any incidents
  • Classroom rules and charters
  • Playground rules
  • Celebration assembly
  • Meetings with parents
  • Use of literary materials e.g. fables, stories to help pupils distinguish between right and wrong in their everyday interactions.
  • We work closely with the local police to help reinforce key messages.

Individual Liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. We:

• Support pupils to 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 e.g. through all of their interaction with adults and each other in school and through the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools agenda.
• Challenge stereotypes e.g. through SMSC/PHSE work and assemblies.
• Implement a strong anti-bullying culture – as outlined in our policies for Anti-Bullying and Behaviour.
• Follow the UNICEF Rights Respecting schools agenda.

Respect and Tolerance

• • Promote 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 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 and our global dimension work

Escomb Primary School is situated in an area which is not culturally diverse therefore we place a great emphasis on forming sustained international links. At present we have links with Tanzania, Botswana, Bangladesh and Japan. These links are interwoven into our curriculum so they are meaningful and promote tolerance, understanding and interdependence.

We encourage pupils at Escomb primary School to be global citizens. Through our international projects we aim to give them the knowledge, skills and understanding of concepts and institutions necessary to become informed, active and responsible citizens. We want them to realise that similar situations and issues appear in schools around the world but that the local situation can dictate the outcome and that we need to respect the same and differing opinions to the same problem.