British Values Statement

At Lawrence View Primary & Nursery School, our vision is to prepare our learners for life in modern Britain and equip them fully for life in the 21st century. Cultural capital gives our students the vital background knowledge required to be informed and thoughtful members of our community who understand and believe in British values. We recognise the multi-cultural and multi-faith nature of the United Kingdom and understand the crucial role our school plays in promoting these values.  We encourage admissions from all those entitled to education under British law regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status. We are a school for all.  This statement outlines the key British values we actively promote.

The Department for Education states that there is a need:

“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 Department for Education defines British Values as follows:

• Respect for democracy and support or participation in the democratic process
• Respect for the basis on which the law is made and applies in England
• Support for equality of opportunity for all
• Support and respect for the liberties of all within the law
• Respect for and tolerance of different faiths and religious and other beliefs

All curriculum areas provide a vehicle for furthering understanding of these concepts and, in particular, RE and PSHE provide opportunities to deepen and develop understanding. We encourage our children to be creative, unique, open-minded and independent individuals, respectful of themselves and of others in our school, our local community and the wider world. We aim to nurture our children on their journey through life so they can grow into safe, caring, democratic, responsible and tolerant adults who make a positive difference to British Society and to the world.

British Values in Practice

Democracy

Pupils know that they have a voice in the school that is heard, are able to make democratic decisions and point to improvements that they feel need to be made to enhance provision for them in school.

We have a School Parliament, Eco-Team, and Reading Ambassadors with elected representatives from each class in the school. All children are able to put themselves forward to their classmates and a ballot is held and pupils are voted for. Meetings are guided by an agenda, chaired by a member of staff and pupils ensure that they make decisions based on their discussions. Understanding of Parliament and democratic decision making has been enhanced by a visit from our local MP. Pupils can become Active Playground Leaders and are encouraged to take on a number of responsibilities in Year 6 (e.g. monitors, librarians). Staff support them with development of appropriate leadership skills, understanding of timekeeping and the impact their role has on others.

All children are encouraged to debate topics of interest, express their views and make a meaningful contribution to the running of the school on matters that directly involve pupils. They also have a voice via the classroom mindful monsters where they can raise concerns and share ideas.

Pupils also have the opportunity to have their voices heard through pupil questionnaires and pupil conferences and have contributed to the development of our aims and vision.

Pupils are also actively involved in the selection processes of new staff.

The Rule of Law

Pupils are helped to respect the law. They 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. They are helped to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals. Visits from the Police, the Fire Service etc. are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message.

Our Behaviour regulation policy and Anti-Bullying procedures encourage the restorative justice process to resolve conflict. The school has zero-tolerance for any form of aggression, abuse or violence, which extends to pupils, staff and parents/carers. This understanding is reflected through the Behaviour regulation code displayed in every classroom.

The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days. Our system for behaviour is aligned to an agreed code and pupils are helped to distinguish right from wrong.

Individual Liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged, and given the freedom to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. For example, by signing up for extra-curricular clubs, choosing the level of challenge in some lessons and becoming increasingly more involved in child-led learning.

As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment, a planned curriculum and an empowering education. Pupils are supported to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence and are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour, for example through our Forest Schools provision, or through online safety.

Vulnerable pupils are protected, stereotypes challenged and a strong anti-bullying culture is embedded throughout the school.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

Respect is one of the core values of our school. This can be seen and felt in our ethos in school. Pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have and to everything, however big or small.

The school strongly promotes respect for individual differences and pupils are helped to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life. Staff and pupils are encouraged to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.

Actively promoting our values also means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental values, including ‘extremist’ views.

Links and visits are promoted with local faith communities and places of worship. Through Personal development  and RE, pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations, such as looked after children or young carers.

Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudiced-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE.

We offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and respected and global dimension work embedded in many of our topics.