British Values

The Department for Education state 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.

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and these values were reiterated by the Prime Minister in 2014. At Eaton Valley Primary School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways.

Democracy

Democracy is embedded at the school.  Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.  Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council and class councils.  The elections of the School Council members and House Captains are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced.  Our school has a ‘Code of Conduct’, which is deeply embedded in our work every day.  Each class also discusses and sets its own rules that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.  Our 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.

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 our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education.  Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely; examples of this can be clearly seen in our e-safety and P.S.H.E. lessons.  Whether it is through choice of challenge; of how they record; of participation in our numerous extra- curricular activities; our pupils are given the freedom to make choices.

Mutual Respect

Respect is at the core of our school ethos and is modelled by pupils and staff alike. The school promotes respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning environments. In line with our commitment to democracy, pupils at Eaton Valley are always able to voice their opinions and we foster an environment where pupils feel safe to disagree with each other. Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum from the concept of fair play in PE to a number of buddy programmes which promote mutual respect between pupils across different year groups within the school.

Tolerance of Those With Different Faiths And Beliefs

This is achieved through equipping pupils with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity within the school community. Pupils are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school. Our Religious Education curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures. Throughout the year, assemblies, special days and events take into account major festivals and celebrations from a range of cultures. Each class has a weekly timetabled opportunity to discuss all aspects of SMSC and to explore areas of interest and current affairs.