The Department for Education have said they want 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 have since been strengthened.
At Franche Community Primary School we celebrate these values regularly in a range of ways:
Democracy
Our pupils are encouraged to air views, debate issues and have a clear voice.
We have a thriving school council for pupils from Year 1 to Year 6, ensuring the voice of the school population is heard at the highest levels.
Children stand for election to the council every year and are chosen through a secret ballot – always an exciting and thought provoking time in school, where pupils report to staff that they vote not for their best friend necessarily, but for the person they genuinely believe will represent them the most successfully.
The council meets regularly to discuss issues raised in class meetings and through the individual year band’s suggestion boxes. The council is about to receive its first budget and is able to introduce change.
Individual children in Year 6 are elected to positions of responsibility such as House Captains and Head Boy and Head Girl. The children will put themselves forward and provide a short explanation of why they would be best for the job before the elections take place.
Through our curriculum children are taught about, and encouraged to respect, public institutions and services.
Individual children in Year 6 are elected to positions of responsibility such as House Captains and Head Boy and Head Girl. The children will put themselves forward and provide a short explanation of why they would be best for the job before the elections take place.
Through our curriculum children are taught about, and encouraged to respect, public institutions and services.
Our children are given a voice in the form of various questionnaires to seek their views on a range of issues including what they think works well in school and what could be improved and also in connection with their happiness and sense of security at school.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at Franche.
From an early age, the rules of the school are embedded in the pupils. They are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, understanding that they govern and protect us.
Pupils learn that that following rules and behaving well and with respect for others is rewarded through our reward tickets and weekly prizes. They also learn that breaking the rules, of the class or the school, has consequences, for example, break or lunchtime detentions.
We have regular visits from our local police officers, who have an office on our site, along with visits from the fire and ambulance services. All help to reinforce these messages.
Individual Liberty
At Franche, we provide boundaries for young pupils to make informed choices, through a safe, supportive environment and an empowering education.
Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-safety work and classroom discussions.
Franche has a robust anti bullying culture and clear behaviour policies in place.
The curriculum we offer allows all individuals to join in and be involved with activities, including trips or visits out of school and residential visits.
Children’s achievements are celebrated in assemblies and also in weekly newsletters.
Mutual Respect and Tolerance
Mutual respect is at the heart of our values. All members of the school community follow our Golden Rule ‘Treat other people as you would like them to treat you’. The pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone.
Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others.
At Franche pupils are not only taught to respect each other but to be kind and helpful too. We see this across the school but especially during house play where the children from the same houses from Years 1 to 6 will play together in designated zones. It is amazing to see the older children helping, playing with and looking after the younger members of their house so well.
Our RE curriculum at Franche provides a broad and balanced education on a range of religions and faiths. We provide opportunities for the children to not only celebrate various festivals but visit places of significant cultural interest and places of worship. We also actively encourage visitors from a range of communities and organisations into school.