Promoting British Values at Birchington CE Primary School

At Birchington, we are committed to upholding the British Values and our broad, balanced curriculum rooted in respect, tolerance, rights & responsibilities exemplifies them in policy and practice.  In summary, this means that we:

• Help pupils realise that enjoying rights means accepting responsibilities
• Help pupils to make decisions that are acceptable to the school community and society at large
• Encourage healthy self-esteem and emotional resilience
• Help pupils to value physical well-being, privacy, feelings, beliefs and the rights of others

As a Church of England school, we have chosen our Christian Values of Peace, Love, Respect, Hope and Forgiveness to promote as an integral part of our school ethos. They are at the heart of everything we do and alongside this we promote the five British Values of Democracy, The Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. 

At Birchington CE Primary School, we recognise that our School Values won't be assumed and acted upon if they are regarded as a separate, 'bolt-on' lesson. They must be explicitly taught and, in particular, where these values are very different from those at home, modelled by staff at every opportunity.

Our Values are linked to our school Behaviour Policy and are referred to when having discussions with children and parents.

These are values which are important within out school community and which will be important throughout life. In all that we do, we strive to share, encourage and demonstrate positive values with our children in order that they understand them and strive to live by them.

At Birchington CE Primary school, we aim to:

• Enable children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self confidence
• Enable pupils to distinguish between right and wrong and respect the civil and criminal law of Great Britain
• Enable pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely.
• Enable children to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in Britain
• Develop a respect and appreciation for different cultural traditions
• Encourage respect for other people
• Encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process

Democracy

Pupil Voice is taken very seriously here at Birchington with children being asked their opinions and suggestions about school matters. Regular meetings of the democratically-selected Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 School Council ensure that pupils are able to make valuable contributions to the development of the school. Each year children elect their peers as School Council representatives. The School Council has worked with the Senior Leadership Team on many issues including the appointment of the Head Teacher, set up of the new playground activities, and raising money for charity. The School Council have supported Senior Leaders to run regular book swaps, lead assemblies and charity fundraising. We have lots of other Junior Leadership groups where children put themselves forward to be the voice of the child.

The Rule of Law

Birchington CE Primary School is underpinned by an explicit ethos where rules, whether they be for the class, Key Stage or whole school, set the expectations of how the school operates. This begins in Year R by teaching 'right from wrong' building year on year leading to Key Stage 2 considering national laws around legal responsibilities: safe travel, cycling proficiency, protected characteristics, drug education, etc. 

Each year, the children are involved in developing their own class rules and are reminded of what they can expect of from the school and what the school expects of them in order to maximise their learning. Our Behaviour Policy clearly defines rules, rewards, responsibilities and sanctions. Through their daily school life the children develop their understanding of actions, responsibilities and consequences. Annual visits from the PCSO, the Fire Service and Lifeguards help to reinforce this message.

Collective worships and RSHE lessons are also carefully planned to develop children's understanding of the Rule of Law and the purpose of laws in keeping people safe.

Rules and the concept of fair play are taught in PE lessons, children taking part in sporting competitions and festivals.

Individual liberty

Birchington CE Primary School wholeheartedly support the aims enshrined in the UNICEF Rights of the Child ideal and actively promote these through the work of all the adults in our school (https://static.unicef.org/rightsite/files/uncrcchilldfriendlylanguage.pdf).

Children should develop a positive sense of themselves and be given opportunities in the curriculum and wider curriculum to make choices and express their opinions and feelings.  

We encourage children to be active participants in their own learning which is done in a safe and supportive environment.  They are also supported when they make the wrong choices and to learn from their mistakes.  From the earliest age, children in the Early Years and Year 1 exercise individual freedoms through their Child Initiated learning. As a school, we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education.

Seeing others’ opinions and expressing feelings are explored in lessons including character ‘hot-seating’ in literacy.  Our e-safety lessons teach children about respecting their own and others’ privacy, the negative impact of cyber bullying and exercising freedoms to communicate electronically wisely and safely.

Children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedom and are advised how to exercise these safely through:

• Online safety and RHSE lessons
• Choices about their learning challenges and how they record their ideas
• Participation in our numerous extended learning clubs and opportunities
• Circle Time and ‘Show and Tell’
• Pupil conferencing
• Non-uniform days
• Special events such as Good to Be Me Week and Express Yourself Day

Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

We are very proud of our growing diverse community. Our children and families speak over 19 different languages. This amazing diversity means that we can often offer children arriving from overseas a friend who can communicate with them and help them to settle into school life. Newly appointed Language Ambassadors will form an integral part of the everyday lives of many pupils at Birchington. This year, children who demonstrate the right qualities, and who speak more than one language fluently, are selected to provide help and support to new pupils who arrive here with difficulties in speaking English.

Our RE curriculum does not solely focus on Christianity but embraces the teaching and learning of other world faiths, too. We understand that everyone at our school is different and comes from a unique background. Collective Worship and prayer is invitational. we respect that there are children in our school of the Christian faith, a different faith or no faith at all. Tolerance of those with different faiths is achieved through enhancing pupil's understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society by giving them opportunities to experience diversity. Opportunities to share and discuss this message occurs through Collective Worship and discussions around prejudices and prejudice-based bullying and have been promoted through RE and RHSE, Circle Time, Anti-bulling and Good to be Me weeks as well as taking opportunities to discuss these during every day school life.

The impact of this work can be seen in good behaviour, low rates of exclusion and positive feedback from visitors.