Promoting British Values at Field End Junior School
The Department for Education states 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”.
The Department for Education defines British Values as follows:
-
Respect for democracy and support or participation in the democratic process
-
Respect for the basis on which the law is made and applies in England
-
Support for equality of opportunity for all
-
Support and respect for the liberties of all within the law
-
Respect for and tolerance of different faiths and religious and other beliefs
We ensure that fundamental British Values are introduced, discussed and lived out through the ethos and work of the school. Through the delivery of our Bright Futures curriculum, our aim for each child as they leave Field End Junior School is to be:
-
Resilient: emotionally, socially and physically.
-
Able to make safe and healthy choices.
-
Have a sense of responsibility or concern for the problems and injustices of society.
-
Be equipped to be imaginative, creative, knowledgeable global citizens.
-
Take risks and be determined to achieve their goals.
-
See the world as their classroom
We achieve these aims through the provision of an engaging curriculum that:
-
inspires a curiosity and fascination about the world in all children
-
provides opportunities for children to be physically fit and understand safe and healthy choices
-
has a local, national and global perspective
-
inspires children in different skills and future careers, widening their cultural capital and horizons.
-
includes weekly assemblies to promote the key values of the school, reward and celebrate successes and achievements
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is actively taught and promoted. Our approach to teaching British Values is underpinned by these rights, for example article 12, Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously.
At Field End Junior School, we also uphold and actively promote British values in the following ways:
Democracy
We have an elected school council with representatives from each class, following a formal nomination, speech and ballot process. The council meet regularly and have the opportunity to witness democracy in action on visits such as to Hillingdon Council Mayor’s Chambers.
Candidates for Head and Deputy Boy and Girl and house captains are selected on the merits of their nomination speeches to the school body.
All children are encouraged to debate topics of interest, express their views and make a meaningful contribution to the running of the school on matters that directly involve pupils.
Democracy is taught within the history and PSHE curriculum.
Rule of Law
The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced.
We teach and revisit the 5 Rs:
1. Respect the school environment
2. Respect my learning
3. Respect the learning of others
4. Speak respectfully
5. To behave respectfully
These five core ‘rules’ based on the principle of respect, are the basis for charters created by each class at the beginning of the school year. Children understand that rewards and sanctions relate to following these rules.
Pupils are helped to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals. Visits from authorities such as the Police; Fire Service; Ambulance etc. are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message.
Field End Junior School Behaviour policy encourages the restorative justice process to resolve conflict and promotes a safe and respectful culture inside and outside school.
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged, and given the freedom to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment supported by a fundamental shared understanding of the language of rights and responsibilities.
As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment, a planned curriculum and an empowering education.
Pupils are supported to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence.
Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, e.g. through e-safety teaching and PSHE lessons.
Freedom of speech is modelled and promoted through our debate society lunchtime club, speech writing and debate embedded in the curriculum and opportunities for all to enter debate and speech contests. Our collaborative approach to pupil interaction ensures that all children learn to become active, vocal and articulate citizens.
There are many opportunities for pupils to make their voice heard at all levels within our school. Pupils may be elected onto any of the following focus groups to meet frequently and affect change:
-
Rights Respecting School Council
-
Friendship Champions
-
Digital Ambassadors
-
Eco-warriors
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs
Respect is one of the core values of our school and is evident in our Rights Respecting approach to the wider curriculum.
The school strongly promotes respect for individual differences through celebrating and educating pupils on the faiths and cultures represented within the community.
Staff and pupils are encouraged to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour. Actively promoting our values also means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental values, including ‘extremist’ views.
Through the PSHE and RE curriculums, in assemblies throughout the year and during our high profile annual diversity week, pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations, such as looked after children or young carers.
Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudiced-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE.
We follow the Hillingdon Agreed SACRE syllabus for RE and use the Jigsaw programme to enhance PSHE teaching.
One of the key principles of Field End Junior School’s approach to learning is to equip our children to become truly global citizens which is reflected in our ‘outward looking’ curriculum.
