British Values

Promoting Fundamental British Values

In accordance with The Department for Education we aim to actively promote British values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. 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.

Click here to learn more about what our British Values are.

The Key Values are:

• democracy
• rule of law
• individual liberty
• mutual respect
• tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs 

We help children to remember the British Values through the thumb and finger model:

How do we promote our British Values at Ashleigh?

At Ashleigh Church of England Primary School, British Values are taught alongside Christian Values, and are closely linked. Christian Values are taught and celebrated through daily collective worship, and followed up in class discussions. 

Democracy

Humans are designed to be interdependent and everyone has a role to play. For Christians, our role is to be part of a body, working together and governed by Christ, the head of the ‘body’. At Ashleigh, we demonstrate this value through:

• having a school council with pupils of all ages from Y1-Y6, elected by the children

• PSHE and class discussion

• highlighting the development of democratic ideas in history lessons

• ensuring all pupils are listened to by adults, reflected in school policies

• inviting other speakers to the school

• encouraging service to the school e.g. children in Y5&6 have specific roles throughout the school, 

Rule of law

Christians respect the Ten Commandments, and other laws in the Bible, which model right ways to live. They know rules are hard to keep and that they reveal a human propensity to sin or shortcomings. They speak of God’s mercy and forgiveness but know they should not use this as an excuse to break laws. At Ashleigh, we demonstrate this value through:

• creating class rules and school rules, linked to our values 

• having a clear and consistent behaviour policy understood by all

• understanding rules in various aspects of school life e.g. in the playground / playing sports

Individual liberty

The Bible portrays humans as individuals free to make their own choices about life and behaviour; this includes the ability to choose to do wrong. Humans are not robots but made in the ‘image of God’, able to make decisions, to choose to love and do right; this freedom brings risks and responsibilities. At Ashleigh, we demonstrate this value through:

• encouraging students to be independent and creative in their learning

• providing students with opportunities for personal reflection, through class discussion and personal response to Collective Worship

• studying relationships in context of school’s RSHE Policy

• discussing moral issues in RSHE, History and RE

• giving encouragement and support to express personal aspirations and goals, including transition work to next class or school

• creating opportunities for pupils to realise they are significant, unique and precious individuals; celebrated through school and out of school achievements, and Star of the Week in celebrations in collective worship each week

Mutual respect

Jesus said the two great commands were to love God and love your neighbour as you love yourself. It is important to understand our own value as those created and loved by God; and then to realise that others are also created in God’s image and valued by him. We should strive to see not just the best in others but to see ‘God’ in others. We should love one another as Christ has loved us. St Paul encourages Christians in his letters to use our words and actions to build others up, not pull them down or apart. At Ashleigh, we demonstrate this value through:

•  having a clear mission statement that is inclusive

• promoting respect for others in all personal interactions

•  reinforcing the value of everyone’s opinions in class discussions

• having active educational links with other local and Ventrus schools

• supporting charities but not in such a way as to encourage feelings of superiority / inferiority between donor and recipients

• participating in a range of social activities and educational visits in the community

• valuing the home and cultural backgrounds of all learners

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs 

The Bible teaches that we are all unique creations loved by God. It follows that because we are unique, we are not all alike and have to learn to live with difference. Everyone has a right to dignity and respect as a human being but that does not mean that all ideas are equally right or good. Christians should speak up for what is right and not tolerate injustice.Where people differ in culture, there is room for joy in diversity. Where there is difference in belief and faith, there is always room for love and respect. At Ashleigh, we demonstrate this value through:

•  highlighting on the school website how RE provides learning about the beliefs and

  traditions of religious communities as a basis for understanding

  and respecting them

• making RE a valued subject, promoting it with staff, pupils and parents, and resourcing it well

• ensuring debate about the meaning of ‘tolerance’ and ‘tolerate’

• offering practice for pupils in learning how to disagree well

• showing respect on visits to places of worship and in collective worship