British Values
Promoting British values through our ethos, the curriculum, our personal, social, emotional and cultural development, and through our Church of England Religious Education curriculum. Reinforcing values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance.
The DfE have 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.”
Department for Education
The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and these were reiterated in 2014. At The Whitchurch C of E Federation we reinforce and promote British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance in the following ways:
- Democracy
- Individual Liberty
- Rule of Law
- Mutual Respect
- Tolerance
It is important that children feel part of the Academy community and that their opinions and ideas are valued.
Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard and there are a number of varied roles such as Playground Leaders, School Council, Pupil Parliament, House Captains. Pupil’s voices are heard through regular meetings. The elected pupils discuss issues and suggest ways to improve the life of the Federation and how we can contribute to the local community.
Children discuss and decide which charities and fundraisers the school should support for the year, and coordinate with the organisation of these events.
Within our Academy, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As an academy we educate and provide boundaries for children to make choices safely. There is also a wide range of children who have Buddy duties within school. Through our curricular clubs and opportunities, children are given the freedom to make choices.
Our Academy ethos outlines our determination to prepare children for the ‘wider community’. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised as to how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of learning challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the academy, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout our academy 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 Search and Rescue, NSPCC, Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message. Circle time and PSHE is used as an opportunity to discuss difficult situations that benefit from whole class discussion. Keeping safe when using the internet is regularly discussed with children in computing lessons and in assemblies.
Knowing, understanding and following our school rules is essential for our academy to be a safe learning environment. Assemblies, Worship and PSHE times are delivered with a focus on the law e.g. safety Awareness and E-Safety awareness. Parent workshops are offered to support parents on the law around E-Safety.
Pupils know and understand that it is expected that respect is shown to everyone, 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 should treat each other with respect.
Our R.E curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures. At The Whitchurch Church of England Academy Christian values are at the core of our community and is embraced through our teachings.
Assemblies are regularly planned to address this issue either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Our PSHE Programme is delivered through a cross curricular approach.
Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.
We believe our academy to be at the centre of our local community; our vision and values are embodied in celebrations and events such as inter-generational work, the school fair, our charitable work and participation in various sporting, academic and artistic endeavours.
| Curriculum Area | Evidence | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| School Council / Team Ted | - School Council / Team TED are voted for by the children. | - Behaviour in the Federation is excellent. |
| Topic | - Children are asked for their feedback in respect of our curriculum and how we can improve it and in some cases to contribute to the planning (EYFS). | - Children respect each other and bullying is rarely seen. |
| PE | - During all PE lessons, team work and sportsmanship is encouraged. | - Children show respect to visitors who visit our academies. |
| PSHE/SMSC | - Reflective time in our worships requires children to listen respectively. | - Children make a contribution to the life of the academies. |
| Collective Worship | - Our school behaviour policy involves rewards in the form of ‘Golden Time’ which the pupils vote on as a class group. - Class Charter - An election takes place at the start of the year, to decide on our House Captains. |
Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at The Whitchurch Church of England Federation.
Through our clear and positive Behaviour Policy, we develop our children’s understanding of the importance of following rules; that they keep us and those around us safe. Children’s self-regulation and understanding that their behaviour affects others and may have consequences is also a crucial part of learning across our Federation.
We give the children lots of small roles with responsibility through the Federation, for example, Class VIP, Junior Librarians, Worship Leaders and this helps them feel a sense of pride and self-worth; which reinforces an understanding of what is ‘the right thing to do.’
Visits from community partners such as the police and fire service also help to develop our children’s understanding of roles within society.
| Curriculum Area | Evidence | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Behaviour | - Children follow the Good to be Green behaviour system. | - Children are able to articulate how and why we need to behave in school and in society. They can demonstrate they understand acceptable behaviour through actions. |
| Worship | - The core Christian values form the basis of our school’s behaviour policy. | - Children consider their behaviours and attitudes in learning. They decide what is right and wrong and consider the appropriate course of action. This strengthens independence, personal responsibility, tolerance and respect and SMSC aspects of learning and personal development. |
| PSHE/SMSC | - School rules, “Golden Rules” are consistently in place across the whole Federation. | - Forgiveness, compassion and trust are fully considered when managing any child’s behaviour. |
| - A reflection opportunity is included as part of our behaviour policy. This reflection time promotes the value of forgiveness and a fresh start- thus allowing teacher and child to move forward positively- but also underlines the importance of saying sorry, and actively showing repentance. | - Children have the opportunity to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. | |
| - Computing lessons remind children on E- Safety, how to keep safe and who can help them to stay safe. Also, discussions in PSHE sessions take place on their right to feel safe. | - Children are able to discuss important issues and respectfully share their ideas with others. | |
| - NSPCC assemblies have been held based on the theme, “Speak out. Stay safe.” | - Children feel safe and know what to do if their safety is compromised. | |
| - The local PCSO (Safer Neighbourhood team) has visited the school to support children’s understanding of Stranger Danger, Road Safety and the dangers of playing on / near railway lines. | ||
| - Every year, Year 6’s attend a Shropshire Safety Scene event, where many agencies speak to the children about safety in the community. |
Individual Liberty
At The Whitchurch Church of England Federation, children are given the freedom to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons.
Children learn boundaries and how to take ‘safe risks’ through our outdoor learning curriculum. They are supported to develop self-knowledge, self-confidence and resilience to cope with set-backs. The RE, Collective Worship and PSHE curriculum reinforce opportunities to explore views and opinions.
| Curriculum Area | Evidence | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| PSHE/SMSC | - Children are increasingly able to show independence in learning and to think for themselves, and our curriculum / values provides them with opportunities to be reflective in their learning / choices. | - Children can speak out when they are feeling unsafe. Children feel confident to express their concerns through the Worry boxes. (Infant Academy) |
| Worship | - Children are supported towards independence when making decisions about the strategies and resources that they use in their learning. They use the wisdom acquired to apply their knowledge and skills | - Through our PSHE curriculum, children will be enabled to develop the skills, knowledge, understanding, language and confidence to seek help, as needed, for themselves or others. |
| After School Clubs | - The learning environment encourages them to make safe decisions. | - Children take responsibility for their own actions and understand the consequences of their actions. |
| Learning Outside the Classroom | - Children make decisions, take risks during our year 6 residential visit. | - Children are encouraged to make sensible choices that impact on their school life and life beyond school. |
| Playtimes | - Children are offered a broad and balanced curriculum and children are able to make choices within the curriculum. | - Children across the school demonstrate resilience within their learning, openly question each other confidently and show respect for each other’s comments. Providing many opportunities to see things from another’s point of view. |
| - Children make sensible choices at lunch time in respect of activities offered. | - Children are consulted on many aspects of school life and they can demonstrate freedom of thought and actions. | |
| - A variety of Extra Curricular activities take place and children make choices on which and how many they would like to attend. | ||
| - Children proudly represent the school outside the school environment and during ‘Celebration’ afternoons for Topic work. |
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of others
The Federation has a very strong inclusive ethos of care and respect developed around an explicit commitment to Christian values. Self-respect and respect for others form a core part of our value system. We recognise that, although our Federation has a Christian foundation, some of our children come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including children from other faith communities. It is the Federation’s aim to provide for children an atmosphere, practice and education in which their spiritual life and experience will develop.
The gifts of ‘Respect, Kindness, Honesty, Trust and Peace’ are the values we hope and aspire that our children will foster during their time at our infant academy. As our children continue their learning journey through our junior academy, we focus on the additional values of ‘Courage, Responsibility, Creativity, Perseverance and Compassion’.
All members of the school community treat each other with respect. Through our Religious Education curriculum, we promote tolerance and understanding of a range of faiths, religions and cultures. As a Church school we promote this tolerance and understanding through our Christian values and our daily acts of Collective Worship. ‘Talk Partners’ develop our children’s capacity to actively listen to the ideas and opinions of others. Children develop fair play through our PE curriculum.
| Curriculum Area | Evidence | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Worship | - The school recognises that the majority of families within the local community belong to one main ethnic group and, therefore, acknowledges the importance of developing children' understanding and respect of a range of groups from different ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. This is being achieved through a range of visits and visitors, resources and role play equipment, themed worships to further understand Diwali and Eid, and coverage of the Christian Aid Global Neighbours scheme to enable pupils and staff to explore cultural differences and discuss current topical issues around the world with a sensitive and responsible approach. | - Children can articulate why respect is important, how they show respect to others and understand their right to be respected. Children’s behaviour demonstrates their good understanding of this value. |
| RE | - The “Jigsaw” scheme of work provides a comprehensive PSHE programme. Throughout this scheme, pupils are encouraged continually to explore the similarities and differences between themselves and their peers and to accept everyone’s right to ‘difference’. | - Children learn to respect cultural diversity and learn to recognise the richness diversity brings. |
| PSHE/SMSC | - Children are taught through whole school worship, class worship and RE that respect is not just a school value. It is a life value and should be used in and out of school. | - Christian concepts and values form an integral part of children’s daily learning but are taught alongside an understanding and celebration of different faiths, cultures, philosophies and beliefs. This is embedded within all subjects, particularly RE, enabling children to gain an enhanced understanding of the place of religion in a multi-religious world and their place in a culturally diverse society. |
| PE | - A balanced RE curriculum is in place following the Understanding Christianity resource together with units introducing our pupils to Hinduism and Islam. | |
| - The School is part of the St. Bart’s Trust and this link offers a network of diverse schools. | ||
| - Children attend our Federation with a variety of diverse needs and all are taught to show humility and respect towards others. | ||
| - There is an inclusion team in place that supports the safety of all children and adults. They have also attended training that is linked to FGM, Sexualisation and Radicalisation. | ||
| - Staff are Level 1 Safeguarding trained. | ||
| - EAL pupils and their families are supported and respected. |