Promoting British Values

Whitchurch Primary School

In 2011, the government defined British Values as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.  We promote these values through our own school values, curriculum and enrichment activities.

Value How We Promote It
Democracy

 

Links to school values:

Respect

UN CRC Article 12:  Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account.

Children, parents and staff have many opportunities for their voices to be heard at Whitchurch Primary School. Democracy is central to how we operate.

We have an elected School Council.  This is used as an opportunity to promote and teach about democracy and the electoral process.

  • We encourage volunteerism child led clubs, computer support, lunch helpers, librarians and also raising money for local and national charities.
  • The beginnings of democracy are taught through historical research of the Ancient Greece civilisation.
  • Democracy is also promoted through additional PSHE lessons and assemblies.

Parents’ opinions are welcomed at Whitchurch Primary through methods such as questionnaires, surveys at parents evenings and opportunities to comment on whole school matters

The Rule of Law

 

Links to school values:

Respect

UN CRC Article 19:  Governments should ensure that children are properly cared for, and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents, or anyone else who looks after them.

The importance of rules and laws, whether they be those that govern our school or our country, are referred to and reinforced often, such as in assemblies and when reflecting on behaviour choices. At the start of the school year, each class discusses the school rules and class routines, principles that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.

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. These values are reinforced in different ways:

  • Visits from authorities such as the police and fire service
  • Cycling Proficiency lessons enable children to understand the rules of the road and the potential dangers encountered should they break those rules.
  • During Religious Education, when rules for particular faiths are thought about
  • During other school subjects, where there is respect and appreciation for different
  • Through our school assemblies and PSHE children are taught how to earn trust and respect and are supported to develop a strong sense of morality; knowing right from wrong and doing the right thing even when it’s difficult

We have high expectations about pupil conduct and this is reflected in our Behaviour Policy.  There are rewards for exhibiting good and caring  behaviour and consistent demonstration of our values is recognised through such things as ‘Lucky stars’

Individual liberty

Links to school values:

Respect

Courage

UN CRC Article 31:  All children have a right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of activities.

UN CRC Article 15:  Children have the right to meet together and to join groups and organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights.

Alongside rules and laws, we promote freedom of choice and the right to respectfully express views and beliefs. Through the provision of a safe, supportive environment, we provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely; for example:•choices about how they can improve their learning

•choices around the participation in extra-curricular activities

Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are taught how to exercise these safely, such as in our PSHE JIGSAW lessons. We use the JIGSAW resource across the whole school.

Collective worship is used to both explore and support the school’s values. By teaching the children how to manage and understand emotions they will be motivated and equipped to:

  • Be effective and successful learners
  • Make and sustain friendships
  • Deal with and resolve conflict evenly and fairly
  • Solve problems with others by themselves
  • Manage strong feelings such as frustration, anger or anxiety
  • Be able to promote calm and optimistic states that promote the achievement of goals
  • Recover from setbacks and persist in the face of difficulties
  • Work and play cooperatively
  • Compete fairly and win or lose with dignity and respect for all competitors
  • Recognise and stand up for their rights and the rights of others
  • Understand the value the differences and commonalities between people, respecting the rights of others to have beliefs and values different to their own.
  • To respect and value our world, and the things, both material and alive that exist within it.

Children in Year 5 and 6 are given key roles and responsibilities such as Play leaders, Playground Buddies, Reading Buddies, Curriculum councilors, Anti Bullying Ambassadors,  lunchtime helpers and librarians.

Through opportunities such as our extra-curricular and Lunch Time clubs,  and Residential Trips, pupils are given the freedom to make safe choices.

Children at Whitchurch are encouraged to make choices knowing they are in a safe and supportive environment.

Mutual respect

Links to school values:

Respect

 

U CRC Article 2:  The Convention applies to everyone whatever their race, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say and whatever type of family they come from.

UN CRC Article 30:  Children have a right to learn and use the language and customs of their families, whether these are shared by the majority of people in the country or not.

We have high expectations of achievement and behaviour. Children and staff are polite and kind.

We listen and respect each other. We teach the children that conflict will be dealt with calmly and fairly. All members of the school family are valued equally. We celebrate lunch time behaviour and taking care of our school environment through litter picking  and gardening club. We celebrate each other’s achievements whether that be in or out of school through our weekly Celebration Assemblies.

Teachers plan exciting, interesting, challenging and innovative lessons where everybody is expected to do their best and respect others.

When our older children are given key roles and responsibilities to work alongside younger children this helps to promote mutual respect across the age phases. E.g. Reading buddies, Lunchtime helpers and Playground Buddies, librarians

Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

 

Links to school values:

Respect

 

UN CRC Article 14:  Children have the right to think and believe what they want, and to practise their religion, as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. Parents should guide their children on these matters.

Our central aim for ‘…children leave us well prepared for life as global citizens in an ever changing modern world.  Prepared for life as global citizens  drives us towards ensuring that our pupils are able to live and work alongside people from all backgrounds and cultures. This will be particularly necessary in a future where due to technological advances will make the ‘world a smaller place.’

Our pupils know and understand that it is expected that respect is shown to everyone and to everything, whatever differences we may have. Children learn that their behaviour choices have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community are encouraged to treat each other with respect.

Specific examples of how we at Whitchurch Primary enhance pupils’ understanding and respect for different faiths and beliefs are:

•Through Religious Education, PSHE and other lessons where we develop awareness and appreciation of other cultures – in English through fiction and in art and music by considering cultures from other parts of the world.

•Celebrating cultural differences through assemblies, themed weeks, noticeboards and displays.

Children are encouraged to share their own experiences when celebrating their own faith. Assemblies  teach the children tolerance for different faiths and beliefs.

Activities within school support both children and adults of different or no faith, the children are taught respect and tolerance of these groups and the opinions of the groups are taken into account with all activities.

Whilst instances contrary to our values are relatively rare, each is treated seriously in line with our policies and expectations.

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