British Values
The Department for Education have recently highlighted 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.”
We expect all staff to encourage pupils to respect the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. Staff will ensure that partisan political views are not promoted in the teaching of any subject in the school and where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils, reasonably practicable steps will be taken to offer a balanced presentation of opposing views.
British Values at Runcorn All Saints CE Primary School
In line with our School vision & ethos and through provision of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development opportunities, we aim to:
- Enable children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self- confidence;
- Enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;
- Encourage children to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely;
- Enable children to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;
- Promote tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures;
- Encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.
Click here to view our progression of skills map for British Values.
At Runcorn All Saints Church of England Primary School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy
Children are taught about democracy from an early age at Runcorn All Saints. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through Pupil Voice sessions. In addition, pupil questionnaires are completed annually and children’s opinions are collected regularly via surveys on a range of issues and topics, such as engagement with sports.
The Rule of Law
The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern individual classes, our school, or the country, are reinforced throughout the day in school and children have an input into the school’s behaviour policy. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws and that they govern and protect us. Children learn about the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make their own choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. At Runcorn All Saints, we educate and provide boundaries for pupils to make choices safety, through of provision of a safe environment. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and we teach children how to exercise these safely, for example, through our online safety sessions, Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) lessons and key messages in collective workshop sessions. In all aspects of the children’s learning, they are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect
At Runcorn All Saints, pupils are encouraged to be resilient, proud and to show respect for themselves, their school, their community and other children in their school family. The school vision and ethos promote respect for self and for others and this is reiterated via our behaviour policy. Children are encouraged to hold positions of responsibility and make a positive contribution to their school community, showing respect and tolerance for all. Children support the school in roles such as buddies for younger children, PLayleaders, Eco Warriors, Ethos Group and Junior Safety Officers.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
In line with our school values and ethos, tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs is achieved through developing pupil understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity.
Pupils learn about other faiths and religions through following the agreed syllabus for Religious Education. Children also learn about other cultures through areas of the curriculum including History and Geography. The school’s strong links with other local faith organisations enables us to enrich and illuminate children’s learning so that they are able to respect and identify similarities and differences between their own experience and the faiths and cultures of others.
Learning in PSHE lessons encourages children to develop a sense of themselves and their community and appreciate similarities and differences between their own culture and that of other people. Children are supported to develop a tolerant and responsible attitude towards the backgrounds and origins of others, celebrating diversity and demonstrating the capacity to build productive and positive relationships.
Collective worship sessions and discussions involving prejudices and prejudiceâ€based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE/Citizenship. Pupils and other stakeholders are invited to support the review of anti-bullying policies and procedures in school on a regular basis.