West Leigh Infant School

Promoting British Values at West Leigh Infant School

The DfE reinforced the 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 Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated this year (2014).

At West Leigh Infant School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

• Learning about our school, our communities and our nation. (Curriculum)
• Learning to feel proud to belong to: our school, our community and our nation. (Assemblies, School Values)
• Understanding that the communities we belong to are many and varied, and within these we recognise that some are shared social and cultural communities which, by dint of our residency, we all belong to. (PHSE and RE)

Democracy

We listen to all stakeholders’ voices. Children have many opportunities to have their voice heard. Each year the children decide upon their class rules, all the children contribute to the drawing up of the rules.

We have a School Council and Eco Warrior Council which meet regularly to discuss issues raised in class council meetings and are genuinely able to effect change within the school.  Every child on the council is nominated and then voted for by their class.

During National and significant international elections, the Year 2 children are given the opportunity to participate in mock elections to learn first-hand the democratic process.

Children have an annual questionnaire where they are able to put forward their views about the school and the curriculum.

The Rule of Law

We consistently reinforce high expectations of children. Children are taught the importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country, this is consistently reinforced at West Leigh Infant School through our values. Children are taught from an early age the rules of the school and the playground.

Children are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.  These are related to our responsibilities in the wider community.

Individual Liberty

Children are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. They are taught about this and it is modelled within school.   As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young children to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education.  Children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these freely and safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether through the choice of their homework challenge, of how they record their ideas, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. They also understand that with these individual rights, freedoms and liberties come responsibilities for the liberties of others’.

Mutual Respect

The ethos of West Leigh Infant School is shaped to a large extent by its values: love, honesty, respect, community, loyalty and consideration.  Mutual respect is at the heart of our values and children are modelled this by caring, sharing and listening to others. 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. Our community involvement and support of charities, enables children to show respect and generosity to others outside our school community.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

West Leigh Infant School is situated in an area which is not greatly culturally diverse; therefore we place an emphasis on promoting diversity with the children.  Assemblies are regularly planned to redress our context either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures.  Our PSHE and RE curriculum seek to enhance children’s understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society, along with discussions, visits to places of worship, visitors and the modelling of tolerant and accepting attitude to all faiths.  Religious Education, PSHE lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others. The children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths. As a school we work closely with families from different faiths in order to ensure that all children are included.

At West Leigh Infant School we will actively challenge pupils, staff, governors, visitors and parents who express opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.