British Values

British values refer to a set of values that the government believes are important for children to learn. They include:

(taken from votesforschools.com)

1. Respect for the rule of law

Respect for the rule of law means that everyone in society is treated equally and fairly, and that everyone follows the same rules and laws. This value promotes a sense of order and stability in society, and helps to prevent crime and other harmful behaviours. The UK justice system is a large part of this, including laws, police officers and courts.

 2. Individual liberty

Individual liberty allows people to pursue their own goals and interests, providing they do not harm others. This British value is based on the idea that people should be free to make their own decisions and choices within the bounds of the law, of course.

 3.Democracy

Democracy is the foundation of the UK’s political system. This British value is based on the idea that everyone should have an equal say in how their country is run, and that the government should be accountable to the people. All things voting, elections and referendums come in to play here.

 4. Mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

These are often split into two: (1) Mutual respect and (2) tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.  They both promote understanding and acceptance of people from different backgrounds and with different beliefs, and help to create a more inclusive and diverse society.

The promotion of these values in schools is part of the government’s efforts to create a more cohesive and integrated society, as well as as a way to protect children from extremist ideologies.

How should we help our children prepare for adult life as citizens of Britain?

  • Develop their self-confidence and self esteem.
  • Develop their understanding of right and wrong, and their respect for the law.
  • Encourage them to take responsibility for their behaviour.
  • Encourage involvement in the community and wider society.
  • Encourage respect for the public services and institutions of Britain.
  • Promote tolerance of and respect for all cultures and faiths.
  • Encourage participation in the democratic process.

How do we promote these at Nunney?

We uphold the British value of the Rule of Law by:

  • teaching children an understanding of human rights, in particular the UNICEF rights of the child.
  • implementing our school values which have clear and agreed statements, and ensuring that the children know their own rights and respect the rights of others.
  • teaching children to learn about the process of law-making and the part that citizens can play in that process.
  • implementing our procedures and protocols for dealing with any behavioural or bullying issues. If an incident of racial, homophobic or other forms of discrimination occurred, we demonstrate to pupils that we take these issues very seriously, mirroring the attitudes of British society.

We uphold the British value of individual liberty and work to identify and combat discrimination by:

  • teaching an understanding of the concept of freedom and choice.
  • teaching our R.E curriculum, which includes values of understanding, tolerance and respect for others, including those of other faiths.
  • teaching children an understanding of human rights, in particular the UNICEF rights of the child, through assemblies and class lessons.
  • providing our extra-curricular provision, which offers equal opportunities for all children, boys and girls, and children with Special Educational Needs in sport and other areas.
  • holding discussions in RE, English and other subjects, which allow children to develop respect for the opinions, values and beliefs of others.

We uphold the British value of Democracy by:

  • teaching about the democratic process in Britain, at both a local and national level. We teach about communities and pressure groups, how children can participate in these and make changes to life at all levels from local to global.
  • taking turns in class, at dinner time and in after school clubs.
  • incorporating opportunities for children to practise democracy into the school year. For instance, a mock court for World Book Day or choosing a a name for a class teddy.

We uphold mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs by:

  • Respect being one of the core values of our school. Pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have and to everything, however big or small.
  • Strongly promoting respect for individual differences.
  • Pupils acquiring an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life through our wider curriculum themes.
  • Encouraging staff and pupils to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
  • Actively promoting our values also means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental values, including ‘extremist’ views.
  • Teaching a broad R.E curriculum which encompasses learning about several different faiths and non religious belief systems such as Humanism.
  • Promoting links and visits with local faith communities and places of worship. E.g. Members of different faiths or religions are invited to school to share their knowledge and enhance learning within assemblies and in class.
  • Through the PSHE and RE curriculums pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations, such as looked after children or young carers.