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British Values

How do we promote British Values at Longlands?

The Department for Education introduced a statutory duty for schools to promote British Values more actively, and to ensure they are taught in schools. It states that 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.

At Longlands Primary School these values are taught through delivering a broad, balanced and enriched curriculum in addition to being a fundamental part of our school ethos and everyday life.

Democracy

Children, parents and staff all have various opportunities for their voices to be heard.

School Council – Each year every class elects a 2 new school council representatives from Y3- Y6.

The class have a democratic vote and the two pupils with the most votes are elected. School council make decisions on a regular basis meeting to discuss and organise many different things from donations to food banks to other fund raising events. They then hold regular class meetings where their class get the opportunity to have their voice heard and any suggestions are then brought to the next pupil council meeting.

Roles and Responsibilities – Many of our pupils have roles and responsibilities around school and have been votes to do some of these by their class mates. These include: house captains, sports leaders, playground buddies

Pupil Voice – Pupils are given the opportunity to fill in questionnaires and surveys about lessons, playtimes and lunchtimes, clubs, homework, etc.

Parent Voice – Our parents are also given the opportunity to have their voice heard through parent session and questionnaires.

Our school Behaviour Policy involves rewards and consequences; this is shared through all aspects of school life and also shared with parents, carers and children from Reception to Year 6.

The Rule of Law

Our pupils are aware of the importance of laws whether they are in the classroom, in our school or in the outside world. They are taught the value and reasons behind them, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. These laws are embedded in our school ethos and are reinforced everyday through assemblies, class rules and pupil choices.

School rules – our five school rules are shared with all pupils, these are the foundation of our school ethos; they are visible in all areas of the school. Expectations are reinforced regularly through assemblies and PSHE and opportunities are sought frequently to praise positive choices. Pupils’ modelling behaviour consistent with the school’s high expectations are recognised and used as role models to others.

Through assemblies and the school’s PSHE/Citizenship curriculum, children develop an understanding of law appropriate to their age. Access to high quality text gives pupils a safe way of exploring the ‘breaking’ of laws and an opportunity to discuss consequences when this occurs.

Pupils are taught explicitly that laws keep us safe and our access to Protective Behaviours enables pupils the opportunity to recognise when they do and do not feel safe.

Visits from other external agencies such as the Police, Fire service, Health professionals and ‘People who help us’ reinforces their understanding of the responsibilities held by various professions.

Individual Liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. We educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to enable them to make choices safely. Our pupils recognise that everyone has rights but with some of those rights comes a level of responsibility.

Protective Behaviours are taught across the school when necessary and every child is aware that they have the right to feel safe. They are also taught that there is nothing too awful that they cannot talk to an adult about it. Children have access to a nurture group which allows them to confidently and safely talk to a familiar adult. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and are advised how to do this safely for example, through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons.

Children are valued for their differences and there is a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs to enable children to try new things, develop new skills and practice existing ones. Pupils are given the freedom to choose to participate in these and care is taken to provide equal opportunities for all genders such as a boys and girls football team.

Opportunities for children to take on more responsibility within school are encouraged. Older children support during the lunchtimes on the playground and in the dinner hall. Children are buddied up as learning mentors for reading across the school.

Mutual Respect

Our pupils at Longlands learn how to treat each other and adults around school with the upmost respect. They show this everyday by the way they treat other people, both in the classroom and on the playground.

A class charter is drawn up at the beginning of each academic year to set clear expectations of respectful behaviour. In PSHE lessons and assemblies they learn about empathy, respect and listening to others. If pupils show disrespect to one another, this is dealt with immediately through the school’s behaviour policy and Parents/Carers are contacted. Time is given for repair and restoration and to talk about the behaviour which is disrespectful to others. Our pupils learn how to respect others through everyday school life from weekly paired reading with classes around the school to enterprise days

An Anti-Bullying week and E-Safety day is held annually and various well-being events are held across the year. During these sessions, children are taught to value differences in others and themselves and to respect others.

A consistent behaviour policy is in place and children take responsibility, with support when needed, to resolve conflict and repair relationships. A celebration assembly each week is used to enable children to feel valued and their strengths, recognised by others are shared publicly.

Within the partnership of the WDPSSA, all children at Longlands have the opportunity to participate in County and local sports events. These ensure children experience competitive events and have an opportunity to apply their sportsmanship skills with other schools.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

At Longlands, we develop pupils understanding of different faiths and beliefs through religious education curriculum, PSHE, assemblies and reflections. The school follows the Discovery Scheme of  RE, which ensures that the children learn about all the religions of the world. Assemblies contribute to the knowledge of special occasions. The school has a link to the local church and visit for special occasions. Our core value of respect ensures tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs. Pupils understand that we are part of a culturally diverse society and have opportunities to experience different cultures.

Resources in classrooms are regularly audited to ensure that they reflect our multi-cultural society and stereotypes are challenged.

Part of our vision at Longlands is to prepare the children of the future to become valued members of society. Promoting British Values enables children to develop a sense of community and begin to understand their responsibilities and role within it.

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