TEACHING BRITISH VALUES

Promoting British Values at Kinoulton Primary School

As a result of the so called Trojan horse ‘takeover’ of certain Birmingham schools in 2014 by radical Islamist activists exerting undue influence on school governance, Michael Gove, the Education Secretary at the time, raised the focus and importance of teaching British values in schools.

The DfE expect schools ‘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.’

Most of the descriptors for British values have always been part of Kinoulton Primary School’s value system.

They include:

Rule of Law

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

Examples of some of the vehicles through which this is done include:

  • School Behaviour Policy and Team Rules – set of school rules that help govern how we all behave in school
  • Pupils have regular opportunities to reflect on their learning and behaviour during assemblies and class PSHE sessions
  • Home-School Agreement (KS2)
  • DARE programme for Yr 5/6
  • Cycling proficiency courses for KS2
  • Firework Code

Tolerance

KPS is situated in an area which is not greatly culturally diverse and therefore we try hard to make sure we have a culturally diverse curriculum. This includes:

  • Our school link with Tungi School in Western Zambia, enabling the pupils in each school to learn about similarities and differences in our cultures
  • Links with local schools, including opportunities for our elder KS2 pupils to meet and mix with pupils from a different catchment area to ourselves. In the past, this has included a day visit/exchange with an inner city school in Sneinton. For summer 2015, we are establishing a link with Highbank School in Clifton
  • International Day as part of our long standing South Wolds Academy transition arrangements
  • Weekly MFL teaching (including insights into culture) and world language day/activities – for example, the register being taken in other languages
  • Stories from world faiths and cultures
  • Workshops at relevant times to support curricular studies. These have included Indian dance, African drumming and Chinese New Year celebrations
  • RE – KPS follows the locally agreed syllabus including the study of all major faiths
  • Visits to a range of places of worship and relevant visitors
  • Reflection opportunities in assemblies
  • Equalities Policy and Accessibility Plan

Responsibility and Liberty

Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate pupils about and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely. Pupils are encouraged to know and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely. For example, through our e-safety and PSHE lessons or in choosing which clubs they would like to attend. Other relevant activities include:

  • Understanding responsibility in school in terms of behaviour and learning attitudes
  • Pupils’ roles in school – pupils are given positions of responsibility (monitors, playground play leaders, councillors, JRSO etc)
  • Visits from the police and fire brigade
  • Green Flag – eco award
  • Local and national fundraising (World Wildlife Fund, NSPCC, RNLI, Red Nose, Jeans for Genes etc.)
  • Love in a Shoebox Christmas appeal
  • First Aid training for Year 6 pupils
  • Tending the school garden/crops
  • Caring for the guinea pigs – including at weekends
  • Relevant curriculum topics/activities such as ‘butterflies living kits’ and ‘living eggs’
  • Harvest Festival – proceeds donated to Emmanuel House
  • Residential visits in KS2
  • Outdoor learning
  • Safer internet work – induction activities at the start of the academic year
  • Remembrance Day observed and associated work done in class
  • Literacy and topic work - moral/ethical discussions/dilemmas

Democracy

Pupils at KPS have many opportunities for their voices to be heard including:

  • An active school council that meets half termly to discuss issues raised by classmates
  • An active RLA Pupil Parliament with representatives visiting County Hall once a term to discuss issues of county concern. Both of these initiatives helps demonstrate how citizens can influence decision making through the democratic process
  • Assemblies/school activities to promote an understanding of how democracy works in Britain – particularly at times near to General Elections
  • Pupils/class voting for KS2 parts in the summer school production
  • TEAM cups – pupils understand that the views of many are taken into consideration
  • Annual pupil interviews and surveys
  • Pupils selecting/voting for class treat
  • Pupils have a say in what clubs are put on for them

 

Mutual Respect

Mutual respect lies at the heart of our values. 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:

  • PSHE (including the broad headings of SEAL) taught across all year groups as part of our PSHE curriculum
  • Positive teacher-pupil and teacher-teacher relationships are encouraged and modelled
  • Inclusive ethos
  • RE curriculum
  • Anti-bullying week
  • Sex Ed programmes of study
  • Sports teams
  • School Council and RLA Pupil Parliament
  • Assessment for Learning – pupils understand why and how they are shown to improve
  • Peer assessment
  • Ex-pupils coming back to talk/ involved in events (for example, Year 7 and 8 pupils talking about life at South Wolds and an ex-pupil returning to perform in our annual music evening)
  • Buddy reading activities promoted at certain times of the year
  • Partnership sports links with local schools (South Wolds Academy and South Notts Academy)
  • Wealth of extra-curricular clubs run by staff and some by pupils (for example, Lunchtime Playleaders)
  • Access to global sports – for example, Kabadi
  • Singing assemblies
  • Enrichment weeks/problem solving days

Governor visits to see events/pupil activities