Developing British Values

Promoting Fundamental British values

The Department for Education published strengthened guidance on improving the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of young children and adolescents, including the requirement for schools to promote a set of fundamental British values with the aim of ensuring learners leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

They 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.”

The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated this year (2014). Schools have a duty to ‘actively promote’ the fundamental British values of:

Democracy
The rule of law
Individual liberty
Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

Why is developing fundamental British values literacy so important?

When we understand our own values, other people’s values, the values influencing society and the values affecting our environment, we are better able to choose and skillfully and consistently apply appropriate values within different contexts, thereby positively impacting real-life situations.

British values are:

things that we ‘value’ i.e. which are important to us and central to our lives both as individuals and collectively
deeply held principles that guide our thinking, choices and behaviours and influence how we manage our emotions

In accordance with The Department for Education, at West Kirby we aim to actively promote British values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law. British Values is taught through assemblies and the PSHE curriculum.

At West Kirby School and College these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy

We have Pupil Voice which meets regularly to discuss issues raised in class and Senior Leadership meetings. The Pupil Voice is able to effect change within the school. Pupils are democratically elected to the Pupil Voice by their peers
Through our curriculum children are taught about, and encouraged to respect, public institutions and services
Children have an annual questionnaire where they are able to put forward their views about the school
Pupils are selected at random for pupil conversations with members of the senior staff to seek their views and opinions on a range of school and community issues
All parents and carers are encouraged to make comments on learning at West Kirby through our open door policy and questionnaires

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 West Kirby School and College
Pupils are taught from an early age the rules of the school. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken

Individual Liberty

At West Kirby School and College, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment
As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an 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 eSafety and PSHE work
West Kirby School and College has a robust anti bullying culture and behaviour and safety policies in place

Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

Mutual respect is at the heart of our values.
Children 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.
Differences between people such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations are discussed through the PSHE curriculum.
West Kirby School and College provides opportunities for the children to visit places of significant cultural interest, places of worship and we actively encourage visitors from a range of communities and organisations into school.

At West Kirby School British Values are actively promoted by:

Our school ethos statements /SDP / SEF
Our school core values
Our school behaviour policy
Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
Assemblies
British Values themes for a day / week / term
Discussion within curriculum subjects / cross-curricular approach
Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary
Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) sessions
Religious Education (RE) lessons / RSE lessons / LGBT / Protected Characteristics
Sporting / art / cultural events
Pupil Voice / debating club
Educational visits
Real-life learning outside the classroom
Guest speakers
Developing links with local / national / international communities
Extra-curricular activities / after-school clubs / charity work / local community

Embedding British values into the whole ethos of West Kirby School and College promotes:

Self-esteem, self-knowledge and self-confidence
Respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process
Acceptance of responsibility for own behaviour
Respect for their own and other cultures
Understanding of how they can contribute positively to school and home life and to the lives of those living and working in the locality and further afield
An understanding of Equality, Human Rights and Protected Characteristics
An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety
An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
An acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory Behaviour
An understanding of the importance of identifying and combating discrimination