Promoting British Values

 

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We actively support the Government’s Prevent Agenda to counter radicalisation and extremism. The Department for Education has 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.”

How do we promote these values in school?

Democracy:

At St Mary’s we believe it is important that the children feel part of the school community and that their opinions and ideas are valued. We have School Council members who are elected by their peers, digital leaders to support the ICT coordinator and Green Team members to encourage ecology and conservation. We also have monitors in class to give varied roles and responsibilities to contribute to the school community.

The Rule of Law:

The importance of Laws are consistently reinforced through the promotion of our school values and ‘Stay on Green’ behaviour policy.  We also teach about the law through our comprehensive spiral PSHE curriculum.

Individual Liberty:

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment.  Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely and responsibly, for example through our E- Safety and PSHE lessons.  We also teach the importance of following our school rules and respecting the values we promote.

Mutual Respect:

Our core values of:

Kindness – In treating others as we would want to be treated ourselves

Courage – to stand up for what is right, overcome our fears and embrace new challenges

Truth – in the choices we make and our dealings with family, friends, school and community

Hope – that inspires us to look forward in confidence to a better life for all

Love – for ourselves and others knowing that God loves us

These values underpin our school vision and are regularly shared with children throughout the school day and in assemblies and PSHE lessons. We believe our school vision and values are essential in developing well rounded citizens. Each week there is a focus on a core value through assemblies and collective worship.  We have a restorative justice approach and work with children to resolve their differences and develop respect for their peers and others in the school community.