Promoting British Values

Democracy underpins everything we do within the school and our students play a central role in all of our systems; their voices heard through our Student Council, questionnaires and form time. Our mock elections are an example of this. The school provides opportunities through the curriculum, Form Tutor time, and Personal Development lessons for students to debate issues that relate to British Values and to listen to points of view that are different from their own. 

The importance of laws, by the enforcement of rules, is present in our everyday school life, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country. They are consistently reinforced throughout the school day by staff through our Choices and Consequences system, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Students are taught the value and reasons behind laws: that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when rules are broken. Visits from authorities (all DBS checked) form a regular part of our calendar and help reinforce this message.

Within school, students 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 students to make choices safely – both within and outside of the school day, through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and given advice on how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it is through choice of challenge, of how they record information or of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, students are given the freedom to make choices.

Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around core values such as Respect, and students have been part of these discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. Posters and displays around the school promote respect for others and this is reiterated through our behaviour policy.

This is achieved through enhancing students’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PD. Our Who do we think we are? event underpins this tolerance.  As a Stonewall Champion School and a holder of the Stephen Lawrence Award, we have an excellent reputation in the county for inclusive practice and are recognised as a school with an ethos that reflects equality in its broadest sense.