British Values

British Values is about “helping people to understand how things work and how to challenge and change them”.

Impact on pupils

  • Understanding how citizens can influence decision making through a democratic process.
  • Appreciating that living with a rule of law protects individuals and is essential for their well-being and safety.
  • Freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law.
  • Acceptance and tolerance of other people having different faiths and beliefs.
  • Understand the importance of identifying and combating discrimination.
  • Understand that the public bodies such as the police and army are accountable to Parliament but others such as the courts are independent.

School should support pupils to

  • Have high standards of behaviour and to develop their understanding of right and wrong.
  • Take responsibility for their actions and understand the consequences of their actions.
  • Contribute to an ethos of mutual respect throughout the whole school environment.
  • Participate in a democratic process and understand this process and the role of public institutions.
  • Develop their understanding and appreciation of wider issues such as cultural differences and disabilities via Cross curricular days.

Examples are

  • Pupil Parliament
  • Explicit rewards procedure that celebrates success 
  • Behaviour incident log and regular contact with parents.
  • Vertical Form groups.
  • English: Political Parties Unit.
  • Science: Cloning/Stem cell research, IVF.
  • History: Does Richard III deserve the reputation of being evil?
  • Key Skills — Year 7: Democracy Day, Voting for all aspects of the lesson.
  • Cross-Curricular Day (Great British Inventions & Discoveries and Britain at War).
  • Big Form Debate (Weekly topic for forms to debate).
  • Music: UK and English Folk music, Irish Folk music, Blues Music.
  • Music performances in the local community
  • E-Safety programme.
  • Assembly programme.
  • Pupil Receptionist Programme.
  • Pupil voice and staff voice.

 

The Wordsley School is working, through its school ethos and curriculum, to secure the following British values.

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Democracy

  • The School and curriculum promotes and provides pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and respect for, public institutions and services.
  • We teach pupils how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process. Through Citizenship pupils are taught about the advantages and disadvantages of democracy and how it works in Britain.
  • Pupils are encouraged to become involved in decision-making processes and the school ensures that they are listened to in school e.g. Pupil Parliament, pupil voice etc.
  • The school holds elections for the Pupil Parliament during which pupils learn how to express, argue and defend points of view.
  • The school curriculum ethos and co-curricular activities, such as Big Form Debate, also teaches pupils how we can peacefully challenge perceived ideas and injustice through active communication.

Rule of Law

As a school we ensure that the school rules and expectations are clear and fair. The school’s ethos and curriculum play a significant role in helping the pupils:

  • To distinguish right from wrong and to respect the law and the basis on which it is made.
  • To understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals.
  • Through police visits to school via both assemblies and curriculum activities.
  • Through pupils being taught about civil and criminal law; in addition, we look at how this may differ from some religious laws.

Individual Liberty

Through the school ethos and curriculum we:

  • Support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence.
  • Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights.
  • Model freedom of speech through pupil participation, while ensuring protection of vulnerable pupils and promoting critical analysis of evidence.
  • Challenge stereotypes.
  • Implement a strong anti-bullying culture.

Respect & Tolerance

Through the school ethos and curriculum we:

  • Promote respect for individual difference.
  • Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life.
  • Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
  • Develop links with faith communities.
  • Develop critical personal thinking skills.
  • Discuss 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.
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