British Values
All REAch2 schools develop a bespoke programme to deliver on the Government’s expectation of British Values. This will be taught both explicitly and discretely, and as is age-appropriate.
‘Schools should 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’ to
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enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence.
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enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England.
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encourage pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely.
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enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England
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further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures.
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encourage respect for other people.
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encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.
At St Margaret's Primary Academy, students will encounter these principles throughout everyday school life. In particular, our promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is where these value are explicitly taught in a range of ways including through R.E days and interwoven within our curriculum, which gives children real and meaningful opportunities to explore these values. We are certain that the active promotion of British Values means that children are enabled to develop a sense of community and begin to develop their understanding of their role and responsibilities within it.
We have recently introduced a weekly focus so that all the children are explicitly taught vocabulary, skills and understanding of British Values and SMSC and how this applies to our everyday life.
Our whole school systems and structures lend themselves to the active promotion of British Values, heavily. For example, all children take part in a democratic school council election process and elected children run a successful school and learning council.
British Values Within Our School
Democracy ~ The children get the opportunity to vote for our Pupil Parliament, who provide an important voice for our children within the school community. Their representation is invaluable, whilst it contributes towards how school is run. We also have a parent committee, and offer parent surveys at parent evening.
Rule of Law ~ We have a positive behaviour policy, where the children aim for gold. Within our school community, we all work together to ensure that all the children feel safe, happy and confident to follow the school rules. During election time, we also discuss the importance of the vote.
Individual Liberty ~ At St Margaret's Primary Academy, it is crucial that the children make their own choices, from choosing what sports clubs they attend, to choosing their lunch. We promote the choice where possible.
Mutual Respect ~We promote kindness and respect within our school, through all aspects of our school day, we encourage respect and care for each other. Our Rainbow Room encourages children to develop a mutual respect for their classmates, teachers and other staff. We also provide support for children with English as an additional language, to ensure that books and other materials are relevant.
Tolerance of Different Faiths & Beliefs ~ The children enjoy learning all about many cultures, faiths and beliefs and we celebrate and recognise these events throughout the year. We also ensure that our library is well stocked with resources for learning about various customs and cultures from around the world, where the children have access to different cultures in their stories.