British Values

British Values Policy

At Harewood Primary School, we actively promote British values to ensure our pupils leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

The Department for Education defines British Values as follows:

  • Democracy
  • Rule of law
  • Individual liberty
  • Mutual respect
  • Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law. 

At Harewood we actively promote British Values in the following ways:

DEMOCRACY
Our opinions matter in school  

Harewood Voice

 

  • Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.
  • We encourage pupils to take ownership of not only their school but also of their own learning and progress. This encourages a heightened sense of both personal and social responsibility and is demonstrated on a daily basis by our pupils.
  • We teach our children about democracy through our school curriculum and assemblies.
  • We teach our children how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process. A group of Year 6 children, Harewood Voice, ensure that each of our classes can voice their idea, opinions and concerns. Their role is to discuss important issues with the children, during assemblies, and collect pupil views. They then feedback this information to individual Governors, who share it with the Governing Body. This provides a pupil voice in the running of the school. Issues discussed include: School rules and values, bullying and behaviour, playtimes, British Values, safeguarding, curriculum and homework and protected characteristics.
  • We provide our children with a knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services. This included a visit by Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen.
  • We help our children to express their views using pupil questionnaires and a pupil views section at the end of curriculum progression statements.

 

RULE OF LAW
We keep to rules

School Rules display

 

  • We teach our children about the rule of law through our school curriculum and assemblies.
  • We teach the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves, and the consequences when laws are broken.
  • We have clear, consistent school rules, which are shared regularly and displayed in classrooms and around school: Safe, caring, respectful and ready. These rules form the basis of our behaviour policy and are used to help our children to distinguish right from wrong.
  • Our motto and core values create our school ethos and are an integral part of our school life.
  • A group of children have the opportunity to visit the Houses of Parliament to see where laws are made.
  • Restorative practice is used to encourage children to think about their behaviour, how it impacts others and to take responsibility of their actions.
  • Kidsafe and PSRHE discrete lessons are delivered.
  • Y6 sports leaders play with different year groups and share school rules with the children.
  • 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. These values are reinforced in different ways:
  • Visits from authorities such as the police and fire service.
  • SEND targets on SEND support plans are shared with children who are on the SEND register and children are involved in PEP’s where applicable.
  • Parents’ opinions are welcomed at Harewood Primary through methods such as questionnaires, surveys at parents’ evenings and opportunities to comment on whole school matters e.g. Remote Learning. Report slips provide an option for parents and children to comment.

Harewood Values         

INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY
We are free to make choices

  • We teach our children about individual liberty through our school curriculum and assemblies.
  • We teach Online Safety units of work throughout school. We provide parents with information about keeping children safe online. Staff have regular online safety training.
  • We promote independence and encourage children throughout school to take responsibility for their behaviour and make safe choices that enable them to ASPIRE, ACQUIRE and ACHIEVE in all aspects of their learning and personal growth.
  • As pupils move up through the school they are supported to understand their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and are given appropriate advice to enable them to make independent decisions.
  • We teach the children how to manage and understand emotions so they will be motivated and equipped to: be effective and successful learners, make and sustain friendships, deal with and resolve conflict evenly and fairly.
  • We support vulnerable pupils to make appropriate decisions and staff ensure that adults supporting them are doing so with the pupil’s best interests. 
  • Each year group focuses on individuals who have had to fight for individual liberty and freedom, such as Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks.
  • We implement a strong anti-bullying culture, which is the focus of PSRHE lessons, assemblies and Harewood Voice.
  • All children in Year 6 have a role within school. They are provided with training for their jobs and play an important role across school. Children wear badges to highlight their roles to all children and staff. Jobs include: reading ambassadors, maths ambassadors, health and safety, sports leaders, playground friends, Harewood Scene and Harewood Voice. Year 5 children are eco ambassadors.
  • Our children are given the freedom to make safe choices through opportunities such as our extra-curricular clubs and many trips and first-hand experiences.
  • Kidsafe is delivered from reception to Y6.

                                                      We have a selection of books to help children to understand each of the British Values

 

MUTUAL RESPECT AND TOLERANCE OF THOSE OF DIFFERENT FAITHS AND BELIEFS
We look after each other and our school and celebrate each other’s differences

  • Being Respectful is a core value of school and one of our four school rules. It is at the heart of everything we do.
  • Respect and tolerance is taught through our RE scheme, PSRHE, our curriculum and assemblies. Pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences between people
  • We explore the protected characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act to promote respect for individual differences and to actively challenge stereotypes. This is achieved through PSRHE lessons, assemblies, a wide selection of books, which explore positive role models, science days to challenge stereotypes, career days and across the curriculum.
  • We challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
  • We organise visits to places of worship.
  • We teach the children that conflict will be dealt with calmly and fairly using Restorative Practice. All members of the school family are valued equally. We celebrate each other’s achievements whether that be in or out of school through our weekly Class Dojo assemblies.
  • Our school motto, Aspire, Acquire, Achieve to ‘Prepare children for the future’ drives us towards ensuring that our pupils are able to live and work alongside people from all backgrounds and cultures. This will be particularly necessary in a future where technological advances will make the ‘world a smaller place.’ We develop awareness and appreciation of other cultures through Religious Education, PSRHE, English through fiction and in art and music by considering cultures from other parts of the world.
  • Children are encouraged to share their own experiences when celebrating their own faith.
  • Activities within school support both children and adults of different or no faith, the children are taught respect and tolerance of these groups and the opinions of the groups are taken into account with all activities.

We have a selection of books to help children to understand each of the British Values