British Values
Teaching British Values
Promoting British Values at Bridgewater Park
The Department for Education has recently reinforced the 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 in 2014. At Bridgewater Park, British values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy
At the beginning of each year children affirm the school’s expectations and the rights and responsibilities associated with these. Every child and staff member takes responsibility for instilling these values into the school community.
Democracy is taught during assemblies and class-based PSHE sessions. Children regularly get opportunities to express their views in school through Pupil Voice interviews and questionnaires.
The rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, is consistently reinforced at Bridgewater Park.
Pupils are taught from an early age the rules of the school through our Classroom and Playground rules and our six school values. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves, and the consequences when laws are broken. Through our whole school approach, we enable children to develop the language and strategies to solve conflict and to right wrongs.
Individual Liberty
At Bridgewater Park, 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 young pupils to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand, and exercise their rights and personal freedoms. They are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-Safety and PSHE lessons.
From the very start of their school life children are encouraged to challenge themselves by giving them ownership of their own learning. Children have next steps shared with them, whether verbally or with feedback in books, so that they know exactly what they can do to progress. Children are excited to respond and to forward their own learning and to achieve their goals.
Mutual Respect
Respect and independence are key values that permeate all aspects of school life at Bridgewater Park. They are fundamental to the way we support and care for each other, for the community and for the environment.
At Bridgewater Park, we value the close, positive relationships between all adults and children, and see this as being key to enabling all children to access their learning, in a welcoming and safe environment. Assemblies regularly cover the theme of ‘respect’, and pupils have been part of discussions related to what this means and how we show it. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect.
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
This is achieved through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by educating them and giving them opportunities to experience different faiths and beliefs, be they similar or different to their own.
