British Values Statement
At Westbury-on-Severn Church of England Primary School we take very seriously the responsibility that we have to prepare our children for life in modern Britain. We ensure that the fundamental British Values are introduced, discussed and lived out through the ethos, Christian values and work of the school. We recognise the multi-cultural, multi-faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom. We understand the vital role that we have in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.
We ensure that through our school vision, aims, Christian values, ethos, rules, curriculum and teaching, we promote tolerance and respect for all cultures, faiths and lifestyles. Indeed, it was decided by the children of our school, that respect should be one of our core Christian values.
The DfE have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote fundamental British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
At Westbury-on-Severn C of E Primary School we promote the Fundamental British Values in the following ways:
Democracy
Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We promote democratic processes such as voting for House Captains to represent their views on the school council. We make links to events that are happening in the locality, United Kingdom and the rest of the world, such as general elections and the referendum. Children are given the opportunity to give their views and opinions on events and activities, giving opportunities for different points of view to be heard. The principle of democracy is also explored in the History and Religious Education curriculum as well as in collective worship and class worship.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, is consistently reinforced throughout the school day. Children are taught the rules and expectations of our Church school and class rules/codes of conduct are drawn up in each class at the start of the year. Children are taught about why rules are important, the value and reasons behind laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws/rules are broken. This is also explored further within PHSE lessons.
Individual Liberty
Within school children are encouraged to make independent choices, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. As a school we provide boundaries for children to make choices safely, we work with children to ensure that they understand that they are responsible for the choices that they make. Children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms in a safe manner, for example through our online safety work and PSHE curriculum. They are also taught to exercise their rights within the context and understanding of their responsibilities.
Mutual Respect
Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and the rights of others. Through our Values for Life curriculum and our Behaviour Policy, we promote the importance of mutual respect. All staff within the school demonstrate and promote respect for others through all of our interactions with people. Through our celebration worship each week we celebrate the learning behaviours of children throughout the school and the contribution that children make to our school. As a Church school, this value also draws upon Christ's teaching of 'Do to others as you would have them do to you.' (Luke 6:31)
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Westbury-on-Severn C of E Primary School is situated in an area which is not greatly culturally diverse; therefore we place great emphasis on promoting diversity with our children. Collective worship and Religious Education are regularly planned to address this issue either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of different faiths and cultures. We recognise the value of each person as a unique creation by God.