Teaching of British Values at Healdswood

The DfE "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 continue to remain high on all school agendas.  At Healdswood, these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy - We all have the chance to help make decisions                

Each year the pupils decide upon and contribute to their class rules and the rights associated with these. Pupils have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have a School Council which meets regularly with the Headteacher to discuss issues raised in class council meetings. Two council members are elected by their class peers and are involved in making the school a better place to learn. The school council is able to genuinely affect change within the school.

Pupil questionnaires and interviews are also conducted throughout the year. We know that the formation of the school council and the active participation of our pupils will sow the seeds for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in the future.  

The Rule of Law - We all follow the rules                                                                  

Our pupils will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives. We want our pupils to understand that whether these laws govern the class, the school, the community or the country, they are set for good reasons and must be adhered to.  The involvement of our pupils in the creation of the school rules, that are fair and reasonable, helps them to understand the reasons behind the rules and the consequences if they are broken. Pupils are taught from nursery the rules of the school i.e.   School Rainbow Rules, Playground Rules, Dinner Hall Rules and they are also encouraged to be role models throughout the school. 

In individual classes, pupils discuss various rules and the importance of following them. We follow our Rainbow Rules and our behavior towers and we are aware of the consequences of our behavior.

The understanding of the importance of rules will be consistently reinforced through assemblies and our curriculum.  We have a weekly ‘Rainbow Rules and Learning Powers‘ assembly where we celebrate our successes.  Throughout the year we also welcome visits from members of the wider community including police, the fire brigade and many more, this helps reinforce this message.

Individual Liberty - We all have the opportunity to make our own choices

Within school, 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 choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and 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 and PSHE lessons. Pupils are also encouraged to understand responsibility in school in terms of behaviour and attitude to learning.
We offer a range of after school clubs which pupils have the freedom to choose from, based on their interests.

Mutual Respect - We all respect one another 

Mutual respect is at the core of our school life. Pupils learn to treat each other and staff with great respect. This is evident when walking around the school and in the classrooms. 

We actively fundraise and take part in raising money for different charities.  We welcome visitors into school and like to take part in commemorative events such as Remembrance Day

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs - We all accept each other’s differences 

We actively promote diversity through our celebrations of different faiths and cultures. Religious Education and PSHE lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others and we regularly include opportunities to learn about people from different backgrounds into our curriculum planning. Our multicultural activities illustrate our commitment to exploring our diverse school community. Members of different faiths and religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Where possible, children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.

Through our curriculum, school values and the routines of our daily school life, we strive to demonstrate tolerance and help children to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens who can build a better Britain for the future.

We take part in lots of different festivals and carry out whole school activities for example Diwali, Chinese New Year, Christmas and Easter.

Making British Values Meaningful in our School

We recently welcomed Lee Anderson (Local MP for Ashfield) into our school today. He shared with the children all about his role in parliament and the importance of democracy and laws.  Our wonderful Year 2 children had the opportunity to share with him suggestions for how to improve your local area. The Year 2 children showed an amazing maturity and care for their community.