British Values

Promotion of British Values

At Gilthill Primary School, we aim for all children to grow, learn and flourish academically and, as part of their wider education, to be contributing members of society. Our role is to ensure that we promote and reinforce British values to our children.
The Department for Education’s five-part definition of British values is:
• democracy
• the rule of law
• individual liberty
• mutual respect
• tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
At Gilthill Primary, pupils will encounter these principles throughout everyday school life and we believe they should be embedded in all areas of learning.

Democracy

Children at Gilthill Primary have the opportunity for their voice to be heard through our school council which meets regularly to discuss issues raised within the school. They are elected by their class peers and are involved in making the school a better place to learn. There is an agenda, issues are discussed and minutes taken. The council is able to genuinely effect change within the school and gives our children a better understanding of democracy. E.g. The children voted on opinions about changes to activity afternoons, suggested extra resources for playtime activities and are involved in discussing changes to the school behaviour policy.
The Rule of Law
At Gilthill Primary we promote the rule of law by:-
• Having a clear, consistent behaviour policy (based upon positive rewards) which is consistently applied throughout the school.
• Providing opportunities for children to reflect about positive and negative behaviour.
• Developing links with our Police Community Support Officer.
• Addressing issues of law during whole-school assemblies as and when appropriate.
• Encouraging visits from external agencies to talk to the children in school.
• Using our reward system to acknowledge good behaviour as well as good academic work.

Individual Liberty

Alongside rules and laws, we promote freedom of choice and the right to respectfully express views and beliefs.
• Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices at our school, knowing that they are within a safe and supportive environment.
• 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 e-Safety, DARE and PHSE lessons.
• Children are encouraged to understand responsibility in school in terms of behaviour and attitude to learning.
• Home / school agreements for all pupils are in place.
• Pupils are taught how to be safe and how to act safely.
• We offer a range of extra-curricular clubs which pupils have the freedom to choose from, based on their interests and needs.

Mutual Respect

Mutual respect is at the core of our school life. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community are taught to treat each other with respect.
At Gilthill, children learn respect through:
• The promotion of positive relationships.
• The modelling of positive relationships by all adults working in school.
• All aspects of the curriculum, in particular the R.E and Personal, Social and Health Education curriculum (as successfully working in groups requires respect for each other).
• The work of the school council.
• The positive reward system developed to promote respect.
• Our celebration ‘ACE’ assemblies when all pupils show respect for the efforts of others.
• Participation in events organised to raise money for various charities which are chosen and voted on by the school council. E.g. Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day, Red Nose Day for Comic Relief, food collection for Nottingham Homeless charity etc.
• Learning to live with their peers on educational residential visits.

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Through the school curriculum we educate the children to understand their place in a culturally diverse society. Children are encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school. Our Religious Education curriculum follows Nottinghamshire County Council’s Religious Education policy and is part of a broad and balanced curriculum that educates children about a range of faiths, religions and cultures.

Tolerance is promoted in our school through:

• Our stated aims and values.
• Assemblies which are regularly planned to include stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. E.g. Diwali.
• Our RE, PSHE and MFL curriculum.
• The school’s equal opportunities policy.
• Using world events as opportunities to positively reinforce life and culture in other countries (football world cup, the Olympics, etc.).
We believe that tolerance is gained through knowledge and understanding. Through our curriculum and the routines of our daily school life, we strive to demonstrate tolerance and help children to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens.
As well as actively promoting British Values, the opposite applies; we would actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.