Promoting Fundamental British Values

In accordance with The Department for Education we aim to actively promote British values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

Democracy – what do we do?

Democratic values underpin the ethos of the school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our Class/ School Councils and through pupil conferencing.

· Class voting for the election of school councillors at the start of the year.

· Annual election of House Captains at the start of the year.

· Provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services, taught through assemblies and PSHE lessons.

· Encourage pupils to become involved in and influence decision-making processes and ensure they are listened to in school.

· Help pupils to express their views confidently and eloquently through our Oracy programme.

· Model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged.

· Participate in Gloucestershire Primary School Mock Trials, organised by the ‘Magistrates in the Community’ programme

· Peer mediation programme

Rule of law – what do we do?

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout the school day 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.

· Ensure school rules and expectations are clear and fair.

· Class rules and celebration of adhering to these rules.

· Help pupils to distinguish right from wrong.

· Help pupils to respect the law and the basis on which it is made.

· Help pupils to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals.

· Explore within our PSHE lesssons laws and what to do if peer pressure is trying to persuade children to break these.

Individual liberty – what do we do?

At CPMF pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. Positive choices are rewarded with Dojos and through Gem awards.

As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices, through both provisions of a safe environment and by providing an empowering education. Our outside areas offer, for example, many opportunities for the children to develop the ability to make safe choices within their environment. These opportunities also exist in our range of after school clubs and at lunch and break time.

· Support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem, self-confidence.

· Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights.

· Model freedom of speech through pupil participation, while ensuring protection of vulnerable pupils and promoting critical analysis of evidence

· Challenge stereotypes.

· Implement a strong anti-bullying culture.

· E-Safety units of work are taught throughout school and parents and staff receive training on these.

Mutual Respect and tolerance of different cultures and religions– what do we do?

· Explore positive role models (where possible) through our topics who reflect the protected characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act.

· Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.

· Organise visits to places of worship.

· Years groups celebrate a variety of religious festivals such as Diwali, Eid and Christmas.

· Our RE scheme ensures that our children have a good understanding of a range of religious beliefs, worldviews and customs.

· Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life.

Teaching and learning of British Values takes place in the following ways:

· By teachers explaining the meaning of the value.

· By pupils reflecting on the value and what it means to them and their own behaviour.

· Through the recognition of children displaying the value through their work and behaviour.

· By pupils using the value to guide their own actions.

· By staff modelling the value through their own behaviour.

· By ensuring that values are taught implicitly through every aspect of the curriculum.

· Through the work of the School Council.

· By involving all staff, governors and parents in the values programme, through newsletters which explain how school and home can work together to promote positive values.