British Values

 

We take our responsibility to prepare children for life in modern Britain very seriously. We ensure that the fundamental British Values are introduced, discussed, taught and lived out through our school. All curriculum areas provide a platform for furthering understanding of these concepts and, in particular, our RE and PSHE lessons and Collective Worships provide excellent opportunities to deepen and develop understanding. Children embrace these concepts with enthusiasm and demonstrate a good understanding of their application to their own lives.
 

British values is taught to children explicitly through assemblies and class discussions and also indirectly through other lessons in school. All British Values are covered through our PSHE scheme - Jigsaw - and the mapping for how they are covered and when can be found on the PSHE page of our website. We kickstart each academic year with a British Values workshop day for each class where children learn through drama and role play in an age appropriate way. 

We make continuous efforts to ensure children have exposure to a wide experience beyond their local community during which these concepts are shown, through, for example, our strong links with our local church, sporting events, residential visits to outdoor centres and through visits and visiting speakers from all faiths and groups.  Their strong-rooted values-based understanding gives them an excellent platform for embracing difference.

How our British Values support our school's vision:

At Aberford, our vision is to develop successful learners who have the qualities and attributes needed to prepare them for life in modern Britain. We recognise the importance of equipping all our pupils with the skills to enable them to be responsible citizens who contribute positively to society. We value the backgrounds of all our pupils and families and celebrate the diversity that this brings. 

 

 

What do British Values look like at our school?

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced. Our behaviour system is linked to a set of positive rules which are reinforced through Collective Worship and in all lessons. The children discuss and share their understanding of these within their own class contexts, which ensures they are relevant and clearly understood by all. Our pupils are taught the values and reasons behind laws, the responsibility they have to uphold them and that there are consequences when laws are broken. 

What does it look like in our school:

  • Behaviour Policy
  • Following the school rules

 

Mutual Respect

Our school vision and behaviour policy are based on our Christian Values. Respect is one of our core values which determine how we live as a community at Aberford. Worship is based on our Christian Values and they are central to how we expect everyone to go about their life at school. Values are visible around the school and children and adults alike refer to them regularly. Children know and understand what is expected and that it is imperative that respect is shown to everyone and everything, whatever differences we may have. It underpins our work every day, both in and out of the classroom. 

What does it look like in our school:

  • One of our core values
  • Understanding and appreciating differences and the challenges that others face

 

Democracy

Democracy is an important part of our school. Pupils are listened to by adults and are taught to actively listen to one another, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. Pupils have the opportunity to share opinions and ideas through the School Council and ACE Committee. During the first half term of each new academic year, the school council are voted for by the rest of school after prospective candidates have presented their manifestos. 

What does it look like in our school?

 

Individual Liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. Our children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely through their lessons in many curriculum subjects, particularly PSHE. 

What does it look like in our school:

  • Pupils make choices in a safe environment
  • Pupils encouraged to exercise their rights
  • Taught explicitly through PSHE and E-Safety lessons

 

Tolerance of those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

As a Church of England School, Christian Values and faith are an integral part of the children's day to day learning. Part of this is an understanding of different faiths and beliefs, which is taught through all subjects, but especially in RE lessons and through Collective Worship. 

What does it look like in our school:

  • Pupils understand their place in a culturally diverse society
  • Collective Worships
  • RE long-term planning mapped progressively across the school to incorporate the Understanding Christianity units alongside the local authority Believing and Belonging scheme. 

 

School Council Work on Promoting British Values:

Our school council have been working hard to promote British Values around school. They planned and presented their own Collective Worship assembly on British Values and asked the children in school to join them in a project to write to residents of a local care home to help and show respect to different members of our community. Here is one of the presentations that our school council planned and showed the rest of the school:

  


 

Recommended Books

 

Remembrance Day

We learn about Remembrance Day and the significance of why a poppy is worn. During collective worship, pupils read the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae and discussed the meaning of its significance and how the poppy became the representation of the celebration.

To celebrate Remembrance Day this year and to remember those who fought and lost their lives during the war, children from each class painted an individual poppy of a memorial scene on wooden discs, which are proudly displayed at the cenotaph in Aberford for all the community to see.

We also created our own Remembrance Day Poppy Art Gallery at school. Here the children painted an individual poppy or a memorial scene on mini wooden discs which were then hung collectively outside for all the community to enjoy.