Promoting British Values
British Values at St Paul’s CE Primary School. As a Faith school, our ethos is based on the teachings of Jesus and Gospel Values. We promote love, peace, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, equality, justice, humility and service through what we say, what we do and how we treat each other in school and others in the wider community. At St Paul’s we take seriously our responsibility to prepare children for life in modern Britain. We ensure that the fundamental British Values are promoted through our school vision and values, through our curriculum where concepts are unpacked and explored and, in particular, our values based collective worship, RE and PSHE lessons.
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is to ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-39)
The Department for Education state that there is a 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.”
Democracy
Democracy is embedded at the school. Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. Each year the children decide upon their class rules and the rights associated with these. All the children contribute to the drawing up of the class rules. Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council and regular pupil voice questionnaires. The elections of the School Council, Eco Council and House Captains are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action. The school council meets three times a term to discuss issues raised in class, through forums or through our school suggestion box. Children have an annual questionnaire in which they are able to put forward their views about school life.
‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life’. John 3:16
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced. Our pupils are taught the values and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. A restorative approach is integral to who we are as a school and we have made this process the foundation to every aspect of school life. We believe in adults living and modelling these behaviours for the children too.
Our school has ‘Values’, which are deeply embedded in the way we work. We have a whole school values tree, which celebrates children demonstrating our school values. Visits from and to authorities such as the police, fire service, lifeguards and paramedics will be regular parts of our calendar (post covid) and help reinforce an understanding of this value.
Each class also discusses and sets its own rules in their class charter to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.
Our behaviour management system supports pupils to understand the rule of law and you can read more about this here.
‘If you love me you will keep my commandments’. John 14:15
Individual Liberty
Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely; examples of this can be clearly seen in our e-safety and P.S.H.E. lessons. As a school, we educate and empower our pupils, providing boundaries for them to make choices in a safe and supportive environment. For instance, children can choose in-class challenges, assignments from their homework menus or participation in various extra-curricular activities during lunch break or after school.
Classes takes part in enterprise activities, the children choose how to raise money and also select the charity the money will go to. This year, there will be three fund raising events supported by the School Council – one class based, one whole school based and one community based.
We model freedom of speech as well as encourage and teach our pupils to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms, while challenging stereotypes and implementing a strong anti-bullying culture. Examples of this can be seen in our e-safety and PSHE curriculum. We are working towards the delivery of child-led assemblies and asking pupils to evaluate assemblies, which will influence how adults deliver content in the future.
‘If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free’. John 8: 31-32
Mutual Respect
Respect for others is a fundamental value of our highly inclusive school and pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have. This includes respect for others, everyone’s opinion matters and everyone’s contribution is important, everyone’s feelings should be considered, everyone’s faith is sacred. Respect needs to start with respect for ourselves as well as others in our community. We acknowledge that every child and adult is made unique and is uniquely precious, worthy of respect and kindness.
Values are highly visible around the school and can be seen in class, on displays and our values tree. There are frequent opportunities in the curriculum, in assemblies and during playtimes to discuss differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability and gender.
There are frequent opportunities in the curriculum, assemblies and during playtimes to discuss differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations. Children and adults alike, including visitors and parents, are challenged if they are disrespectful in any way.
‘Show proper respect to everyone; love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honour the king’. 1 Peter 2: 17
Tolerance of different Faiths and Beliefs
St Paul’s CE Primary School supports pupils’ understanding of different faiths and beliefs through religious education studies, P.S.H.E. work and participation in a range of celebrations and in depth study during themed days including our World Faith Days and International Days. We help children to acquire an understanding of and respect for their own and other cultures and ways of life e.g. through Geography, our International Links with Uganda and Spain and Religious Education. Through class topics and events such as International Day, the school focuses on global issues and each class specifically focuses on one country. We do not merely tolerate difference and diversity; we actively celebrate the uniqueness of all individuals.
‘Treat others just as you want to be treated’. Luke 6:31
