Promoting British Values at Pendeen
All schools have a duty to “actively promote” the fundamental British Values which are defined by the DfE as:
All schools have a duty to “actively promote” the fundamental British Values which are defined by the DfE as:
- democracy
- the rule of law
- individual liberty
- mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
At Pendeen Primary School, we ensure that these values are embedded throughout the curriculum and in our mission statement and ethos. We value the diversity of backgrounds of pupils, families and the wider school community. Our curriculum takes a global approach to learning and our topics often consider a wider perspective and theme.
Pendeen is situated in an area which is not greatly culturally diverse, and we therefore place great emphasis on promoting diversity with the children. For example, to celebrate Black History, we invited in 2 drummers, born in Africa, to spend the day with our children (October 2021). When learning about Islam, we invited a practising Muslim to prepare a presentation about their faith to share with the children via TEAMS( July 2021). When we study Holi, we will have a practising Hindu to spend the day with our children. We strive to make learning and experiences REAL for our children and topics studied also include learning about other countries and their beliefs, traditions and customs as well as their geography and history.
Our school reflects British Values in all that we do. We aim to nurture our children on their journey through life so they can grow into safe, caring, democratic, responsible and tolerant adults who make a positive difference to British society and to the world. We encourage our children to be creative, unique, open-minded and independent, respectful of themselves and of others in our school, our local community and the wider world.
We take our responsibility to prepare children for life in modern Britain very seriously. We ensure that the fundamental British Values are introduced, discussed and lived out through the ethos and work of the school in a very real sense - children vote for their school council and the school council make real decisions such as voting to begin the (very popular) process of getting a school dog. All curriculum areas provide a vehicle for furthering understanding of these concepts and, in particular, our RE and PSHE / RSE lessons provide excellent opportunities to deepen and develop understanding. Children embrace these concepts with enthusiasm and demonstrate a good understanding of their application to their own lives. As part of school development, we are looking to develop our curriculum to enable these British Values to be embedded further across other subjects.
The school makes considerable efforts to ensure children have exposure to a wide experience beyond their local community. Their strong-rooted, values-based understanding gives them an excellent platform for embracing difference.
Democracy
Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have an active School Council which discuss issues raised in classes. Councillors are elected by the children. We hold termly questionnaires for pupils in which children are able to put forward their views about the school which are then addressed by senior management, enabling the children to understand how their voices can influence decision making. In addition, children are consulted on other decisions within school as and when necessary, including end of year whole school visits.
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 the school day and through the school’s Behaviour policy. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules (laws), the responsibilities that these involve and the consequences when rules are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police, the Fire Service or local lifeguards help reinforce these messages.
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. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to do this safely, for example through e-safety and PSHE. Our Behaviour management focuses on pupils taking responsibility for their own behaviour and the need to make good choices; this is clearly linked to our rewards and sanctions. We also actively promote an anti-bullying culture through assemblies, PSHE and RSE lessons and, above all, in the culture of all that we do.
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those with different Faiths and Beliefs
Mutual respect is a key value that we promote throughout the school. All members of the school community treat each other with respect and children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others.
In addition to our RE and PSHE teaching, assemblies are regularly planned to reinforce this either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Traditional values of empathy, respect and tolerance are reinforced. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Understanding that people have different faiths or beliefs to themselves (or having none) is promoted as something which is accepted alongside an understanding that, if it is not, this would be prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
We will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.