Promoting British Values
How we promote British Values at St Michael at Bowes
The DFE has recently reinforced the need ‘to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation for 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.’
At St Michael at Bowes School we are dedicated to promoting values, which ensure our pupils develop a strong sense of social and moral responsibility, which will prepare them for life in modern Britain. We would like to share with our parents how we promote these values.
DEMOCRACY
We value pupil voice highly and we regularly ask the pupils about their learning, their concerns and for their ideas about how we can make things better for them. We do this by using pupil questionnaires (annually) and interviews (half termly), through our Pupil Voice books in each classroom, through our curriculum team pupil members and through our Rights Respecting School Councilors. At the start of each year class teachers decide on one new member to join the council and one established member steps down. During the following February, the next established member steps down and each class vote on a new member by holding democratic elections. This gives the established members the role of training and supporting the new members. The Rights Respecting School Council also has a budget and they make decisions about how to spend this. One of our core school values is Fairness and for half a term each year we spend time in class and during assemblies unpicking the meaning of this value. Upper School children also take part in Learning Reviews, where they present their strengths and targets for improvement to their teacher and a member of the Senior Leadership team.
THE RULE OF LAW
The school has a Positive behaviour policy. The children understand the school rules and what happens if these rules are broken. They also have a good understanding of the UnitedNations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and are taught through assemblies and the curriculum how to apply these rights responsibly. At the start of each year classes decide on class rules, based around the UNCRC and agree a charter to abide by. During PSHE lessons and assemblies children learn about the importance of having rules and how these relate to laws. We use a range of PSHE resources and well as Philosophy for Children to promote moral, spiritual, social and cultural awareness among our pupils. Our children have a well-developed sense of justice. They understand and are able to discuss why there needs to be consequences for those who break the rules or laws. By being immersed in the ethos of the school, our children learn about their responsibility to be law abiding citizens.
INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY
Every child has the right to have a say in all matters affecting them, and to have their views taken seriously. (UNCRC Article 12) Alongside rules and laws, we promote freedom of choice and the right to respectfully express views and beliefs. Through the provision of a safe, supportive environment and empowering education, we provide boundaries for our children to make choices safely; for example: • Choices about what learning challenge or activity to do; • Choices around the participation in extra-curricular activities; • Choices about how to spend curriculum budgets alongside adult members of the team; • Choices about lunchtime options, and so on. Our behaviour policy is built on the principle that children are responsible for their own actions and choices and that these have consequences. The school sanctions system provides reflection time where pupils are able to think about the impact of their choices. Our Learning Mentor trains children to become mentors who support others to resolve playground issues. She also runs TAP club (Talk About a Problem) and Talk Talk, where children can sign up for appointments to discuss their worries. During PSHE, e-Safety lessons and Assemblies pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe whilst they exercise their rights and personal freedoms. Safeguarding is embedded in every aspect of life at the school.
MUTUAL RESPECT AND TOLERANCE
Our ethos at St Michael at Bowes is based on mutual respect and good manners. Adults actively model respect for one another, and with the children, in how we speak and treat one another. Our school is a diverse community and, through our creative curriculum, we promote an awareness of different faiths and we encourage our pupils to recognise and understand these faiths. Our pupils naturally show tolerance for others and have a curiosity to find out and understand cultures and faiths that are different from their own. Our children visit all the main places of worship in and around Enfield. All staff model a tolerant and accepting attitude. We use assemblies to raise and discuss issues of bullying and prejudice and reinforce this learning during curriculum time. At St Michael at Bowes, we will actively challenge pupils, parents or staff who express opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including extremist views. We hold the Level 1 Rights Respecting Award and are currently working towards achieving Level 2.
British Values through the Curriculum
Interwoven within the curriculum in a range of subjects, are planned opportunities to teach the values of our society. Some examples are:
• PSHE: How we influence democracy is explored though PSHE and assemblies. This includes looking at historical figures such as Nelson Mandela, Olauda Equiano and Gandhi and exploring the effectiveness of different approaches. The Rule of Law - The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country is consistently reinforced at St Michael at Bowes. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-safety and PSHE lessons.
• Geography: We ensure that children have a better understanding of what Britain is and their place within it, learning more about its capital cities and counties, its rivers and mountains, where Britain is in relation to the rest of Europe and other countries in the world.
• History: Britain and its influence in modern times are aspectswoven into our home learning projects and IPC topics
• Music: The study of British composers and their influence worldwide.
• Art: The study of how British artists influence others around the world.
• Religious, Moral & Spiritual Education: Gaining a greater understanding of religious diversity and practices, this covers key religions represented in the UK. All children have the opportunity to visits places of worship that are important to different to faiths. St Michael at Bowes actively promotes diversity through celebrations of different faiths and cultures.
• Physical Education: Promotion of the concept of “fair play”, following and developing rules, inclusion, celebrating and rewarding success, being magnanimous in defeat and participation in activities that promote kinship and affiliation with others.
• Computing: Children are also taught about respect and bullying in the online world, through our learning platform, DB Primary and though regular e-safety lessons. Outside agencies are also invited into school to reinforce and build on this learning.
• Family Home Learning Projects: We encourage children and their families to work together to consider issues relating to our values and democracy. For example, during the last General Election families were asked to discuss and record what laws they would pass if they were to become Prime Minister.
• Pupil Leadership of teams: Promotion of democratic processes, fostering the concept and application of freedom of speech and group action to address needs and concerns. Key to this is the concept of holding others to account, including those in positions of influence and authority.
• Educational visits: Our broad range of educational visits and experiences outside of the classroom equip our children with the skills to make a positive contribution to their community as equal citizens, as well as being able to look at British heritage in more depth. Recent visits have included a visit to the Houses of Parliament, Enfield Mayoral Chambers and the British Museum amongst others.
Community Events: We work closely with charities and organisations such as UNICEF and Wateraid. We encourage our children to interact with children from other schools, both locally and further afield, though organised activities. We have a Local Action Team, which is focused on raising awareness of local issues and supporting local charities.
