Promoting British Values
The DfE have recently reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values were reiterated in 2014.
At KPJA we value the diverse ethnic backgrounds of all pupils and families and undertake a variety of events and lessons to celebrate these. We have found this approach to be enriching for all parties as it teaches tolerance and respect for the differences in our community and the wider world. Whilst mindful of our multi-cultural society we also advocate British Values and reinforce what being British means in terms of our history, culture and way of life.
At KPJA these values are reinforced in the following ways:
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Democracy
Democracy is richly embedded within the academy. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our School Council, pupil questionnaire, meetings with the Head teacher and class discussions. They are taught to respect the right of individuals, to have their voices and opinions heard and are taught to discuss issues in a calm and balanced way. Elections of School Council members and house Captains are based solely on pupil votes. A student panel is involved in the appointment of new staff members.
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. Visits from authorities such as the Police, Fire Service etc. are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message.
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 an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised 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, 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 such as ‘Respect’, and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. All members of the school community are expected to treat each other with respect. Displays around the school promote respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning rules, as well as our behaviour policy. Pupils learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:
At KPJA we offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and celebrated. This is achieved through enhancing pupils 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 an Anti-Bullying workshop, RE and PSHE. Members of different faiths or religions and those who speak languages other than English are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Interpreter badges are given to children whose first language is not English.
Underpinning this are a range of curriculum topics which inform pupils of Britain’s role in the world both in the past and present day. For example:
In Year 6, pupils learn about how British people during the Victorian era lived. They have experienced what life was like in school, dressing up and role play drama sessions and consider how resilient the British were in this era. The children also focus on how British Victorians valued family life and compare it to how it is today. They study Victorian values and the expectation and impact of people in those times and how they underpin today’s modern values. This is linked with the annual Poppy Day celebrations where children purchase poppies and a minute's silence is held in a special assembly. To commemorate the centenary of the start of World War One a group of children in year 5 gathered at the local war memorial to take part in the memorial remembrance service.
In Year 5, an example would be, a focus on British and other world leaders and the ‘Rights and Responsibilities’ topic’s focus on leaders such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. The children explored Democracy in the build up to the General Election, looking at the voting process and how Parliament operates.
In Year 4, as part of the Ancient Greece topic we look at the origins of democracy and how that relates to the present day, while the work on the Tudors looks at the impact of the monarchy. In English the works of well- known British authors such as William Shakespeare and Lewis Carroll are studied. Christian festivals are studied in RE and the work on Islam helps to demonstrate the shared values between religions.
In Year 3 through RE we teach about the world’s religions, promoting tolerance and understanding of other’s beliefs. In summer term in Guided reading we will be studying Bill’s New Frock, which will again bring up the importance of respecting and tolerating people’s personal beliefs and decisions. In History we will study Tribal Tales, looking at Britain from the Stone Age through to the Iron Age, and The Romans, looking at the Roman Empire and its effects on Britain. We will look at how different groups of people settled in this country and the culture they brought with them / how they influenced modern Britain. We read books by prominent British authors, from Roald Dahl to today’s children’s laureate, Chris Ridell.
On a more general level, the school undertakes assemblies which uphold traditional values of empathy, respect and tolerance. These are also taught within formal SEAL, PSHE and RE lessons and on an informal nature throughout the school days. Celebration of festivals throughout the year (e.g. Diwali, Chinese New Year, Hanukah) and use a variety of Faith Stories in assemblies as well as Reflection opportunities in assemblies. This enables children to develop an understanding of others faith and beliefs.
Visits to places of worship that are important in informing children about different faiths e.g. church, Sikh temple are arranged related to specific parts of our curriculum. We will actively challenge children, staff or parents who express opinions that are contrary to fundamental British value of Tolerance and Respect, including extremist views.