British Values

British Values

British Values Statement

As a Catholic school, Saint Mary’s seeks to live out the values of Jesus Christ.

We promote these values by our words and deeds, and Catholic doctrine and practice therefore permeates every aspect of the school’s activity. We provide a Catholic curriculum, which is broad and balanced, recognising that every pupil is unique and is created in the image of God (Gen1:27). Our curriculum is designed to enable every pupil to discern their vocation and to bewell-equipped to follow it as active citizens in service to the world. Catholic Religious Education is the “core of the core curriculum” (Pope St John Paul II) 4 and the foundation of the entire educational process. We also provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities and strong pastoral support. We incorporate democratic principles, value the rule of law, support individual liberty and foster a community in which different faiths and beliefs are respected.”

We do this by:

General Aims

  • To ensure that everyone connected with the school is aware of our values and principles.
  • To ensure a consistent approach to the delivery of SMSC issues through the curriculum and the general life of the school.
  • To ensure that a pupil’s education is set within a context that is meaningful and appropriate to their age, aptitude and background.
  • To ensure that pupils know what is expected of them and why.
  • To give each pupil a range of opportunities to reflect upon and discuss their beliefs, feelings and responses to personal experience.
  • To enable pupils to develop an understanding of their individual and group identity.
  • To enable pupils to begin to develop an understanding of their social and cultural environment, and an appreciation of the many cultures that now enrich our society.
  • To enable pupils to understand the importance of respect and leave school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.
  • To give each pupil the opportunity to explore social and moral issues, and develop a sense of social and moral responsibility.
  • To actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

Spiritual Development

  • As a school we aim to provide learning opportunities that will enable pupils to:
  • Sustain their self-esteem in their learning experience.
  • Develop their capacity for critical and independent thought.
  • Foster their emotional life and express their feelings
  • Experience moments of stillness and reflection.
  • Discuss their beliefs, feelings, values and responses to personal experiences.
  • Form and maintain worthwhile and satisfying relationships
  • Reflect on, consider and celebrate the wonders and mysteries of life.

Moral Development

  • As a school we aim to provide learning opportunities that will enable pupils to:
  • Recognise the unique value of each individual.
  • Listen and respond appropriately to the views of others.
  • Gain the confidence to cope with setbacks and learn from mistakes.
  • Take initiative and act responsibly with consideration for others.
  • Distinguish between right and wrong.
  • Show respect for the environment.
  • Make informed and independent judgements.

Social Development

As a school we aim to promote opportunities that will enable pupils to:

  • Develop an understanding of their individual and group identity.
  • Learn about service in the school and wider community.
  • Allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Provision for SMSC will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. This will be achieved by:

  • Monitoring of lesson plans and teaching and learning, by the SLT
  • Regular discussion at staff and governors’ meetings
  • Audit of policies and Schemes of Work.
  • Sharing of classroom work and practice.
  • Audit of Collective Worship policy and practice.
  • Collation of evidence in pupil’s work.
  • Regular inclusion on SDP/SIP.

Links with the wider community

  • Visitors are welcomed into school.
  • The development of a strong home-school link is regarded as very important, enabling parents and teachers to work in an effective partnership to support the pupil.
  • Pupils will be taught to appreciate their local environment and to develop a sense of responsibility to it.

Class and Discussion Time

  • Talk about personal experiences and feelings.
  • Express and clarify their own ideas and beliefs.
  • Speak about difficult events, eg bullying, death etc.
  • Share thoughts and feelings with other people.
  • Explore relationships with friends/family/others.
  • Consider others needs and behaviour.
  • Show empathy.
  • Develop self-esteem and a respect for others.
  • Develop a sense of belonging.
  • Develop the skills and attitudes that enable pupils to develop socially, morally, spiritually and culturally – eg empathy, respect, open mindedness, sensitivity, critical awareness, etc (for comprehensive list see attached sheet).
  • Listen and talk to each other.
  • Learn an awareness of treating all as equals, and accepting people who are physically or mentally different.
  • Agree and disagree.
  • Take turns and share equipment.
  • Work co-operatively and collaboratively.

Teaching and Organisation

Development in SMSC will take place across all curriculum areas, within activities that encourage pupils to recognise the spiritual dimension of their learning, reflect on the significance of what they are learning, and to recognise any challenges that there may be to their own attitude and lifestyle.

All curriculum areas should seek illustrations and examples drawn from as wide a range of cultural contexts as possible.

Cultural Development

As a school we aim to promote opportunities that will enable pupils to:

  • Recognise the value and richness of cultural diversity in Britain, and how these influenced individuals and society.
  • Develop an understanding of their social and cultural environment.
  • Develop an understanding of Britain’s local, national, European, Commonwealth and global dimensions.
  • Gain knowledge of Britain’s democratic parliamentary system

Guidelines

All curriculum areas have a contribution to make to the child’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and opportunities for this will be planned in each area of the curriculum.

The academy has a long term plan for class-based SMSC which is delivered appropriate to and according to the needs of each year group. This long term plan is published on the school website.

All adults will model and promote expected behaviour, treating all people as unique and valuable individuals and showing respect for pupils and their families according to the school behaviour policy.

The school community will be a place where pupils can find acceptance for themselves as unique individuals and where forgiveness and the opportunity to start again is fundamental to the ethos of the school.

Pupils will learn to differentiate between right and wrong in as far as their actions affect other people. They will be encouraged to value themselves and others.

Pupils will understand the need for rules and the need to abide by rules for the good of everyone. School and classroom rules will reflect, reiterate, promote and reward acceptable behaviour and provide opportunities to celebrate pupils’ work and achievements.

All curriculum areas will seek to use illustrations and examples drawn from as wide a range of cultural contexts as possible. This will be reflected in teacher’s planning and purchasing decisions.

Democracy

  • Having a school council with two council members from each class.
  •  Taking part in debating in school
  •  Highlighting the development of democratic ideas in history lessons
  •  Allowing pupils to vote for House captains and School Council Representatives
  •  Ensuring all pupils are listened to by adults
  •  Inviting Councillors and other speakers to the school
  •  Visiting local councils
  •  Each class producing a class charter on rights and responsibilities
  •  Holding mock elections
  •  Pupils completing an annual questionnaire through which they are able to put forward their views about the school.

The Rule Of Law

  •  Classes creating “class rules”
  • Having a clear behaviour policy that is explained to all and reviewed by all stakeholders
  • Ensuring school expectation are clear and fair
  • Organising visits from the police service to reinforce the message of right and wrong
  • Helping children understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals
  • Highlighting the rules of the Church and God in the RE curriculum, for example the 10 commandments and the Precepts of the Church
  • Teaching about the development of the Rule of Law in English Law, a legal system created uniquely in a Catholic England, inspired by Christian values and becoming a major influence across the world
  • The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout 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.

Individual Liberty

Encouraging students to be independent in their learning

  •  Providing students with opportunities for reflection as they take responsibility to discerning their vocation
  •  Supporting pupils to develop their self knowledge, self esteem and self confidence
  •  Model freedom of speech through pupil participation and promoting critical analysis of evidence

Changing Stereotypes

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 SMSC lessons. Whether it be through choice of learning challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.

Mutual Respect

  • Having a mission statement that is inclusive
  • Constantly promoting respect for others and for individual differences
  • Challenging discriminatory behaviour
  • Reinforcing the value of everyone’s opinions in class discussion
  • Having an effective anti-bullying policy
  • Emphasising in RE and SMSC lessons that every person is unique and “created in the image of God”
  • Having active educational links with other schools
  • Supporting charitable works
  • Children 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.

Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

At Saint Mary’s, we are committed to the development of community cohesion and the prevention of extremism and radicalisation both within our school’s physical boundaries and within our local, national and global environments. We are also committed to respond to community concerns or local disturbances in a positive way which supports British democratic society. We will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.

At Saint Mary’s, we are committed to the development of community cohesion and the prevention of extremism and radicalisation both within our school’s physical boundaries and within our local, national and global environments. We are also committed to respond to community concerns or local disturbances in a positive way which supports British democratic society. We will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.