The department of education has introduced a statutory duty for schools to promote British Values more actively from September 2014, and to ensure they are taught in schools.
Handale Primary School is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever changing nature of the United Kingdom. It also understands the vital role it has in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.
It follows equal opportunities guidance which guarantees that there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar.
Our school is dedicated in preparing students for their adult life beyond the formal curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British Values to all of our students.
The government emphasises that schools are required to ensure that key ‘British Values’ are taught in all UK schools. The government set out its definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy.
The five British Values are:
- Democracy
- The Rule of Law
- Individual Liberty
- Mutual Respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
The school uses strategies within the National Curriculum and beyond to secure such outcomes for students. The examples that follow show some of the many ways school seeks to embed British Values.
Democracy
Children have many opportunities for the voices to be heard:
- Help pupils to express their views
- School council – the pupils’ voice
- Sport council
- Electing House Head Pupils
- Eco-warrior representatives from each class
- Annual questionnaire – in which they are able to put forward their views about the school
- Model how perceived injustice is managed through the restorative approach
- Peer mentors / playground buddies
- Play Leaders
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at our school.
Students are taught the rules and expectations of the school which are highlighted by the student code of conduct and student expectations. Students are taught the value and the reasons behind laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service reinforce this message.
Expectations and behaviours are reinforced through…
- Behaviour policy
- Help pupils to distinguish right from wrong
- School assembly themes and visitors to 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 and Fire Service help reinforce this message – Crucial crew
- Good behaviour, attitude and work is encouraged – we have devised a reward system which is consistently followed throughout the school
- We are committed to praising children’s efforts at all times. We endeavour to praise the children informally, individually, during group work, in front of the whole class and the whole school.
- Children are rewarded not only for the achievement in curriculum areas, but for behaviour and general adherence to school policies
- Celebration awards are given in the form of stickers, house points and certificates. Children’s achievements are also recognised during weekly celebration assemblies
- Teach pupils aspects of both civil and criminal law and discuss how this might differ from some religious laws
- Parents are informed of good behaviour through certificates home, postcards home and Marvellous Me messages
- Debating
- Local democracy
- Drug awareness
- Police and Emergency Services programmes and personalised support/action where needed
- E-Safety
Individual Liberty
At Handale Primary School, students are actively encouraged to make independent choices, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Staff at school educate and provide boundaries for students to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely, for example through online safety and independent work. Handale Primary School has a robust anti-bullying policy and has in place a comprehensive Behaviour and Discipline Policy.
At Handale Primary School we…
- Support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence through broad and balanced curriculum
- Actively encourage children to make the right choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment
- Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights
- 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 how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-safety and PSHE lessons
- Give pupils the freedom to make choices as and when appropriate, through choice of learning style, challenge or activity of participation in our numerous extra-curriculum clubs
- Challenge stereotypes and encourage the children to stand up to injustice
- Implement a strong anti-bullying culture and rigorous policy.
Mutual Respect
Respect is a strong part of Handale Primary School, with our School Code of Conduct, at the forefront of daily school life.
Take Care of Others.
Take Care of Yourself.
Take care of our School.
Students learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect and this is reiterated through its teaching and learning environments.
Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum by providing the opportunity for students to express their views in a safe environment.
We also implement a wider curriculum, including:
- Outdoor Learning
- Promote respect for individual differences
- Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
- Build links with the wider community e.g. local library and local churches
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
This is achieved though equipping students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving the opportunities to experience such diversity within the school community. Children benefit from a number of visits and visitors, including those from other cultures. Additionally, students are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school and celebrate festivities throughout the calendar year. Handale Primary school is a non-denominational school and so does not promote any religion above any other. We are very careful to deliver a broad and balanced Religious Education curriculum (compulsory for all pupils) which teaches the children what beliefs and values are important to world religions. It is the view of Handale Primary School that it is through this understanding and knowledge children will develop tolerance.
Handale Primary School strives endlessly to ensure that its students leave with the strongest foundation of values upon which to build a successful life and a successful contribution to our society.
Handale Primary School is situated in an area which is not greatly culturally diverse; therefore we place great emphasis on promoting diversity with the children.
- Cultural days/weeks
- Celebration of the ‘European day of Languages’
- School assemblies
- RE Curriculum
- PSHE Curriculum
- Context Curriculum
- Music Curriculum
- Visits to places of worship
- National Anti-Bullying week (friendship week)
- Discuss differences between people such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and difference of family situations, such as looked-after children or young carers
At Handale Primary School we will actively challenge pupils, staff and parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.
We strive endlessly to ensure that our students leave Handale Primary School with the strongest foundation of values upon which to build a successful life and a successful contribution to our society.
The whole school including Nursery voted for 2 pupils they thought would be good representing our school – Head Pupil. Look we all voted!
If you want to know who we voted for please go to our page for Pupil School Leaders
Each year pupils at Handale Primary School are taught about British Values.
Following on from the teaching in assemblies and in classes, each pupil has the right to vote for Year 6 leaders in school. The children go to a polling booth in the hall and make their votes. leaders will represent the school and greet visitors to our school.
As well as voting for leaders to represent the school, children from each class are voted in to represent their class on the School Council. The children voted in represent the voice of pupils in each year group.
British values underpin our curriculum and teaching at Handale Primary School.
We incorporate the RRSA work and British Values into many areas of our school life.
Useful Downloads
