British Values at Chapel Allerton Primary

TEACHING BRITISH VALUES

Promoting British Values at Chapel Allerton Primary School

At Chapel Allerton Primary 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 school's duty to ensure that all individuals have equal access and opportunity to all that is on offer.

At Chapel Allerton Primary these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy

Each class votes for one school council representative which gives every class a say on the decisions that are made at our school. The council meets regularly with the Deputy Head Teacher to discuss any issues raised by their peers. The council is genuinely able to effect change within our school. Our PSHE curriculum encourages all aspects of respect for democracy and the democratic process.

In Early Years pupils begin their understanding of Democracy by voting every day to decide which story book they should read.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at Chapel Allerton Primary. Pupils are taught the school rules from an early age in the Foundation Stage. Our pupils are aware of the consequences of not following the rules in their school community. The pupils learn to understand the difference between right and wrong in all aspects of school life throughout the day. Using Restorative Practice, there is an opportunity for pupils to put right what has been done wrong and to hear and understand how others felt. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws; that they exist to govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message. Our Year 5 and Year 6 classes take part in workshops led by The Police.

Individual Liberty

At Chapel Allerton Primary 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 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 and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our Online Safety, PSHE lessons and MindMate lessons. Our pupils are encouraged to give their opinions and share these ideas with due regard for the feelings of others. As part of our PSHE and MindMate curriculum we place a huge emphasis on the social and emotional learning of our pupils and feel we send them off to high school as well-rounded individuals. We celebrate achievements both in and out of school in Star of the Week assemblies and MindMate Monday assemblies. 

Mutual Respect

Pupils 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

We actively promote diversity through our curriculum and we celebrate different faiths and cultures. Religious Education lessons, PSHE and MindMate lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others. Members of different faiths and religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Our pupils visit places of worship that are important to different faiths. Throughout school life the pupils are encouraged to discuss differences between people such as their faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality. They also discuss differences in family life such as looked after pupils or young carers.

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.  This involves celebrating Royal events, Remembrance Day, festivals such as Harvest, Christmas, Easter alongside those from other cultures such as Ramadan, Eid and Diwali. As part of our curriculum, we visit and work with our local church, Gurdwara and Mosque.

We work tirelessly to build a culture that will stand the test of time, where our pupils can become good citizens who are equipped to thrive within a diverse world. We teach our pupils to respect everyone regardless of any differences.