At Mareham Le Fen CE Primary School, we understand that the society we live in is diverse and therefore, our curriculum and life within school reflects this. For our pupils, we aim to continually weave the thread of social, cultural, moral and spiritual British values throughout day-to-day school life. Underpinning this are the values and understanding of democracy, law, liberty, respect, tolerance, tradition and heritage. The ‘Equality Act 2010’ protects all individuals from discrimination and it is the schools duty to ensure that all individuals have equal access and opportunity to all that is on offer. Funding, including that for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, is used to target inequalities, to ensure equality and equity.
At our school, we uphold and teach pupils about British Values which are defined as:
These values are taught explicitly through Personal Social Health and Emotional (PHSE) and Religious Education (RE) lessons and heavily link to our Christian Values. We also teach British Values through planning and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum.
The school takes opportunities to actively promote British values through our daily collective worships and the whole school systems and structures such as electing and successfully running a School Council. We also actively promote British values by ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery includes real opportunities for exploring these values. Actively promoting British values means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values including extremist views.
At our school, British Values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy
Democracy is embedded within life at our 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. The elections of our School Council members are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action. Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas and have their voices heard through their representatives. The school council meet with a teacher to discuss any issues raised/to share the views of their class. The school council and other pupil groups, such as our Worship Wardens, Sports Ambassadors and Playground Leaders are genuinely able to effect change within our school.
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 collective worships. Our children are aware of the consequences of not following the rules in our school community. Our children learn to understand the difference between right and wrong in all aspects of school life throughout the day. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that laws govern and protect us; the responsibilities that are involved and the consequences faced when laws are broken.
To encourage and promote good behaviour, attitude and work, we use a clear behaviour system that is consistently followed throughout the school. As a school, we are committed to praising children’s efforts. We endeavour to praise the children informally, individually, during group work, in front of the whole class, the whole school and our wider school community. Children are rewarded not only for achievement in curriculum areas, but also for positive behaviour and personal successes. Rewards are given in the form of raffles and certificates. Children’s achievements are also recognised during weekly celebration collective worships.
Individual Liberty
At our school, our 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 informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our teaching of online safety and PSHE lessons and through whole class projects. Our children are encouraged to give their opinions and share these ideas with due regard and respect for the feelings of others. As part of our PSHE curriculum, we place a huge emphasis on the social and emotional learning of our children and feel we send them on to their secondary school as well-rounded individuals. We implement a strong anti-bullying culture and any instances perceived as bullying are dealt with promptly.
Whether it be through choice of challenge; how they record their work or participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices and to respect the decisions and choices of others.
Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is at the heart of our values. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and on those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect.
Displays around the school promote our Christian Values encouraging respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning approaches, as well as through our behaviour policy. Pupils challenge each other when they are not showing respect and encourage each other to be respectful. Our values are upheld across school and our pupils follow and uphold them with great pride.
Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs
This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Through our RE curriculum, which teaches the main faiths and focuses on learning about religion and from religion, and through exploration of our Christian Values, we actively promote diversity, learning about celebrations of different faiths and cultures. Religious Education lessons and PSHE lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others.
British Traditions and Heritage
We celebrate the role of Britain, both historically and in the present. We want pupils to have knowledge of, and be proud of, their British heritage and the cultural and historical traditions that we are renowned for the world over. This involves celebrating royal events, Remembrance Day, festivals such as Harvest, Christmas, Easter and celebrations linked to other religions. We regularly visit our local church, including specifically to mark these celebrations.