Promoting British Values
The Department for Education state there is a 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.”
What are British Values?
Schools have been asked to explain how they promote British values. So what are ‘British’ values?
There are certain values that have been attributed to being British by the government and some
institutions, and these fall into the following broad areas:
- Democracy
- The Rule of Law
- Individual Liberty
- Tolerance and respect
At Lumley Junior School, we are committed to these values and regularly reinforce them in the following ways:
Democracy
- We promote Democratic rule throughout the school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our very active School Council and through regular Pupil questionnaires and talking to senior leaders about aspects of their learning and life in school. The elections of school council representatives takes place using pupil votes. Children have the opportunity to vote on matters of concern to them within classes.
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; Fire Service; etc. are regular parts of our calendar and 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 of provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHCE lessons. Whether it is through choice of challenge, of how they record, or participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Respect & Tolerance
- Our school ethos and behaviour policy has been built around the core value of ‘Respect’, and pupils are part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. Our PSHE work raises the profile of respect for others and this provides a common language throughout the school.
