British Values at Westmorland                

Intent

Our British Values are incorporated throughout our whole curriculum. We want to deliver a curriculum which is accessible to all and that will maximise the outcomes for every child. By doing so, we will ensure that all learners understand the values that have traditionally underpinned British society. The teaching of these values will promote cohesiveness within our school and community. We will prepare pupils for life in England where the population has an increasingly rich diversity of backgrounds, origins, beliefs and cultures by promoting the values on which our society has been built. By teaching pupils these values we will help all to become good citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  We promote British Values and each or our weekly PSHE lesson has explicit links to either democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty or mutual respect and tolerance. We ensure that our children experience the process of democracy in school through the school and class councils. We teach them about rights and responsibilities. As part of Global Citizenship, they will learn to value themselves and the people of the world.

Implementation:

The department of 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.”

The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values were reiterated in 2014. 

At Westmorland Primary School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy
We encourage our pupils to share and discuss their opinions. Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have our School Council which meets regularly to discuss issues that are important to the children. Each year group from Year 1 to Year 6, nominate two representatives to share their classes and year groups views in the forum. Each week, every class in the school takes part in a Learning Council. They are taught debate and reason in a respectful way. Their voices are heard and they share how their learning can be more effective. 

The Rule of Law
The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message.

Individual Liberty
Within school, 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 choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and 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 E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of learning challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.

Mutual Respect
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. This is underpinned by our school ethos and embedded through our Warrior Values.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Diversity is promoted with the children through assemblies and the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Our RE and PSHE teaching reinforce this. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.

At Westmorland Primary School we will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values.

Each PSHE lesson has:

M – Memorable Learning

O - Oracy

R - Reading

E – Experiences (Real Life)

Teachers will strive to plan and teach aspirational and memorable lessons whilst using dual coding, reading and oracy to ensure sticky knowledge is achieved. Teachers use Knowledge Organisers for every half term which include key vocabulary, lesson activities, resources, the links to British Values and the Sticky Knowledge required after a half term.

Impact:

At Westmorland Primary School we aim to equip and develop young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to make a positive contribution to the harmony of our community. We will ensure that young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. Children 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. Westmorland Primary School aims to help children know and value who they really are and how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world. We can see the impact through the behaviours and attitudes of the pupils within school and their relationships with each other.