British Values
Promoting Fundamental British Values
What are British Values?
The DfE have reinforced the need for schools to explain how they promote British values. So what are ‘British’ values? There are certain values that have been attributed to being British, by the government and some institutions, and these fall into the following broad areas:
- Democracy
- The Rule of Law
- Individual Liberty
- Tolerance & Respect.
How do we promote ‘British Values’ at Barnwell Academy School?
We seek to promote British values in our policies and practice. Our activities and the way we manage learning and behaviour clearly reflect British values.
Democracy
We actively seek children’s views in the following ways:
- Developing a School Council and Barnwell Buddies .
- Giving children a voice e.g. purchase of new playground equipment/designs; routines and systems at lunchtimes. Involving children in deciding on and organising whole school events.
- Annual questionnaires seeking children’s views.
- Design of the curriculum through children expressing an interest as to what is taught.
- Whole School ethos and through our interactions with children and the school’s behaviour system.
- We also discuss topical issues in assemblies and class PHSE/SEAL work.
The Rule of Law
The importance of having rules is stressed every day so that our school is a calm and safe place to be. Pupils are taught the values and reasons behind rules; that they govern and keep us safe, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when rules are broken.
The ways that we do this in school:
- Consistent behaviour system (‘Good to be Green’)
- Barnwell Academy classroom rules and charter
- Playground rules
- Celebration assembly
- Meetings with parents
- Use of literary materials e.g. fables, stories to help pupils distinguish between right and wrong in their everyday interactions.
- We work with the local community and encourage visits from the fire brigade, RNLI etc.
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment.
We actively:
- Support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence e.g. through all areas of teaching and learning in school.
- Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights e.g. through all of their interaction with adults and each other.
- Challenge stereotypes e.g. through SMSC/PHSE work and assemblies.
- Implement a strong anti-bullying culture – as outlined in our policies for Anti-Bullying and Behaviour.
Respect and Tolerance
At Barnwell Academy we promote tolerance, understanding and interdependence. We promote respect for individual differences in all areas of learning and interaction.
We:
- Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life e.g. through our Religious Education work and SMSC/PHSE.
- Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour e.g. through discussion and use of illustrative materials as well as our approach to behaviour in school.
- Organise visits to places of worship e.g. visits to the local churches and other diverse places of worship as appropriate to the curriculum.
- Develop critical personal thinking skills throughout our curricular work.
- Discuss differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations, such as looked-after children or young carers e.g. through our SMSC/PHSE and broader curricular work and through visitors to school sharing their experiences.
