The DfE emphasises the need for 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.”
At SMSP, we understand the importance of helping children to thrive not just academically but also spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, to ensure that they are fully equipped for life as responsible citizens who are able to make a positive contribution to society.
The words of Jesus in John 10:10 promising ‘life in all its fullness’ are at the heart of the school and we believe that all within our community should be able to flourish and achieve their full potential.
At SMSP, we base the way that we behave and treat others on our Christian Values of wisdom, hope, community and dignity. We recognise that these guiding principles are present in other faiths and respect them in all forms. British and Christian values are regularly promoted through our broad curriculum with our inclusive approach to high quality teaching and learning; our programme of collective worship; our wide range of enrichment activities; our strong pastoral support and our positive behaviour policy, all of which ensure that we provide our children with an abundance of opportunities to learn about, experience and apply the key values of British society.
1. Democracy
Children should develop an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process.
2. The Rule of Law
Children should develop an appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their well-being and safety. Further to this children should also develop an understanding that there is a separation of power between the executive and the judiciary, and that while some public bodies such as the police and the army can be held to account through Parliament, others such as the courts maintain independence.
3. Individual Liberty
Children should develop an understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law.
4 & 5. Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those with Different Faiths and Beliefs
Children should develop respect for those around them and demonstrate acceptance and tolerance of other people who have different faiths or beliefs to themselves. Children should understand that these differences should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour. Children should also develop an understanding of the importance of identifying and combating discrimination.
Listed below are just some of the ways SMSP School promotes the five key British Values. These values are implicitly connected to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Value | How we promote it |
Democracy UN CRC Article 12: Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account. | • Our School Council is elected by the children in each class. Various decisions are made through the year, via class councils, in which the children get to share their views with their class representatives on the school council board, then finally voted for by the school council (e.g. which charity events to support). • Class and School Council have discussed school meals, play times and other aspects of school life and expressed their preferences for how these could be improved. • We encourage the children to volunteer. We have Y6 advocates, Eco Team, playground leaders and RE Steering group. • The children raise money for local and national charities, through Harvest Festival donations, and whole-school charity events such as Number Day. • Children work together in groups. • Children are encouraged to be fair, kind, listen to each other and build on each other’s ideas • ‘Talk Partners’ are chosen randomly, through the term, giving all children a chance to work with everyone. • Balanced argument and debating is taught • As with all the key British values, ‘Democracy’ has been discussed with the children in collective worship, including one which specifically focussed on how MPs are democratically elected, how they represent the views of their constituents, and how SMSP’s School Council system mirrors this. Some further examples, specific to year groups: • In Early Years, ‘Fairness’ and ‘Taking Turns’ is woven into much of the curriculum (e.g. Circle Time, sharing and playing games. • In Year 4, the origins of democracy are taught through the Ancient Greeks topic. |
The rule of law UN CRC Article 19: Governments should ensure that children are properly cared for, and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents, or anyone else who looks after them. | • Through our collective worship, circle time, PSHE and positive behaviour policy children are taught how to earn trust and respect and are supported to develop a strong sense of morality; knowing right from wrong and doing the right thing even when it is difficult. • We have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and this is reflected in our Positive Behaviour Policy. Senior leaders support staff in the implementation of this policy. • There are rewards for good and caring behaviour with house points and the recognition boards and consistent demonstration of our values is recognised through such things as our ‘Achievers’ collective worship. • We have high expectations of behaviour in the playground and playground buddies to encourage and model this. • Children are taught how to keep themselves safe through the PSHE curriculum and through visits from outside organisations such as the NSPCC, Junior Citizen, visits from Community police, traffic and road awareness, scooter training, online safety teaching in the curriculum and online safety assemblies, safeguarding assemblies. • Online safety is taught across the whole-school through our computing curriculum and the children’s posters are displayed in the suite and classrooms. Both the lessons and the classroom displays reinforce a clear emphasis on legality and following appropriate protocols in online usage. Regular letters are sent home with advice and reminders for parents about legal age restrictions etc. • Our ‘School Trips’ policy has clear rules as to what is expected, e.g. seatbelts on buses are a necessity. • Expectations of behaviour in school and at playtimes is clear. As with all the key values, ‘Rule of Law’ has been discussed with children in whole-school assemblies. • Local police officers visit the school to talk to the children and explain their role in society. Some further examples, specific to year groups: • Reception –Visit from the fire service • Year 6 Junior citizen |
Individual liberty UN CRC Article 31: All children have a right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of activities. UN CRC Article 15: Children have the right to meet together and to join groups and organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights. | • Children can choose to have either a school dinner or packed lunch. • Children throughout the school choose their own books from the library to take home to read. • Children volunteer for the various roles by writing a short statement about why they would be a good role model: playground buddy; school council; Eco Warriors; Advocates. • Freedom of creativity is actively encouraged in Art, Music and Dance lessons. • There is a range of after-school activities for children to choose from. Free choice of extra activities on Google classroom ‘Rainbow room’ accessible to all children. • Through our school values and PSHE curriculum, children are taught about personal responsibility, choices, ambition and aspiration. They are encouraged to follow their interests in art, music, sport etc. • Wide range of extra-curricular opportunities and ‘taster’ sessions to encourage new interest: flute/guitar; rock band. National/local competitions. • The PSHE curriculum has specific units relating to individual liberty including ‘Being Me in My World’, ‘Celebrating Difference’ and ‘Changing Me’. • In music, songs with key themes of liberty are taught, such as ‘Good to be me’ and ‘For Me’. • As with all the key values, ‘Individual Liberty’ has been discussed with the children in whole-school collective worship. Safeguarding assembly discussed the ‘rights of the child’ to be kept safe; have a safe home; be properly fed; receive an education etc. • Circle time in class for sharing issues – lost item in class – trust, being honest, admitting the truth. • We support children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. • We encourage children to take responsibility for their behaviour ‘Ready, Respectful Safe’; as well as knowing their rights and implementing a strong anti-bullying culture. • Through our Online safety curriculum we teach the children the importance of saying ‘no’ if something doesn’t seem right. Some further examples, specific to year groups: • In Early Years children are encouraged to select which learning activities they would like to access throughout the day. • Year 4 whole class learning a new instrument. • All year groups complete a ‘Dreams and Goals’ topic as part of the PSHE curriculum. |
Mutual respect UN CRC Article 2: The Convention applies to everyone whatever their race, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say and whatever type of family they come from. UN CRC Article 30: Children have a right to learn and use the language and customs of their families, whether these are shared by the majority of people in the country or not. | • Respect of the opinion of others, balanced argument and debating is taught within our PSHE topic ‘Celebrating Difference’. • Within our ‘Online-safety’ units we learn the importance of being respectful and polite when online. • We have high expectations of pupil conduct and this is reflected in our Positive Behaviour Policy. • Each class has its own work displayed where we celebrate and respect other children’s work. Also shared in ‘Achievers’ collective worship. • Through our school’s values, and in PSHE children are taught to respect each other, to be cooperative and collaborative, be supportive and to look for similarities while being understanding of differences. • Mutual respect is also promoted through additional PSHE lessons and collective worship. • Through partner work, children are encouraged to be fair, listen to each other, respect opinions and share ideas etc. • Friendship Week in the Autumn Term enforces many key values including mutual respect. • Our school and class councils are places where all opinions are heard and respected. • Head teacher and Deputy’s doors are always open and conversations always show mutual respect for both adults and children. • In music we sing songs about respect, such as Differences Make us Unique, Fabbydabbydee (It’s good to be you, it’s good to be me), We’re Better Together and Make This World a Better Place. • Children throughout the school are taught to respect, care for and be generous to other members of our community (many charitable events throughout the year of good works as well as raising money). • R.E. lessons provide frequent opportunities for mutual respect. Children from different faiths are encouraged to share their knowledge and discuss their religious experiences, and to respond sensitively to the religious views of others. Children visit various places of worship and learn of other religious practices. A key emphasis is placed on mutual respect, and this is promoted and encouraged by the School’s RE lead. The school’s RE curriculum has a specific strand related to responding to and respecting other views, and this is assessed in each unit of work. As with all the key values, ‘Mutual Respect’ has been discussed with the children in whole-school collective worship. • We challenge prejudicial and discriminatory behaviour. • We enhance team building skills using residential trips (year4/6) as well as team building weeks run in school. |
Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs UN CRC Article 14: Children have the right to think and believe what they want, and to practise their religion, as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. Parents should guide their children on these matters. | • We have high expectations of pupil conduct and this is reflected in our Positive Behaviour Policy and Equal Opportunities Policy. • Children have the opportunity to visit places of worship for many religions, either as part of the R.E. curriculum or during religious festivals (such as Easter, Harvest festival and Christmas). • Children are taught about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and learn to respect their rights and the rights of others. • Knowledge, understanding and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs is promoted through the Religious Education syllabus. Children learn about different religions, their beliefs, places of worship and festivals. Children have weekly RE lessons. These are supplemented through collective worship (class, Key Stage, and whole school), which also mark and celebrate significant religious festivals such as Ramadan and Diwali, as well as whole-school visits (see SMSC on website for more detail). • Children are given the opportunity to share their own religious experiences in class. • As part of the curriculum, classes make visits to theatres and Art galleries which showcase different cultures and beliefs. • Songs are taught that embrace differences of cultures/ religions, such as ‘We are here together’ and ‘We’ll Sing Together’. • As with all the key values, ‘Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs’ has been discussed with the children in whole-school collective worship. • Taken as a whole, we therefore believe that our school goes further than encouraging tolerance of different beliefs, in that we actively embrace and celebrate our differences. |
Sadly, no school can guarantee that there will never be instances which are contrary to fundamental British values. We respect everyone’s right to hold different viewpoints. However, we will actively challenge opinions or behaviours in school that are contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views, as these are at odds with the values of SMSP School.