At Bude Primary Academy we provide opportunities to develop skills, attitudes and dispositions that will stand them in good stead for their future as young citizens. We promote fundamental British values for all children, and an inherent understanding of what it means to be British. The government set out their definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and these were reinforced in 2014.
At Bude we promote the British Values through our spiritual, moral, social and cultural education which is embedded throughout our curriculum. Furthermore, these values and appropriate behaviours are modelled by staff and regularly discussed with children during school assemblies, Religious Education and PSHE.
The British Values have been identified as:
At Bude we promote the British Values through our spiritual, moral, social and cultural education which is embedded throughout our curriculum. Furthermore, these values and appropriate behaviours are modelled by staff and regularly discussed with children during school assemblies, Religious Education and PSHE.
The British Values have been identified as:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance to those with different faiths and beliefs
Democracy
The ability to communicate is a vital skill and at Bude Primary Academy and we ensure that children are given a ‘voice’ to communicate; this may be using words, objects, pictures, eye pointing or body language and/or appropriate technology. Children will have many experiences that allow them to practise their democratic understanding. We want our children to feel like they have a valuable contribution to make to our school community – because they do!
There are a number of roles and responsibilities that we vote for across the year:
- We have an active School Council (representing all classes) who meets regularly to help to make important decisions with Mrs Garrad. We think about how we can make our school the best it can be as well as think of ways we can do good in our community.
- School Buddies - Year 2 children that help friendships in the playground and report to grown ups if needed (we train our Year 2s in the 2nd half of Autumn term).
- Hall Monitors – Year 2 children check on behaviour around the school at lunchtimes;
- Sports Leaders – Year 2 children who help to set up fun activities (and run them) at lunch times.
We also seek the views of our children regularly through Pupil Voice to find out about aspects of school life and beyond, for all subjects and also whole school personal development.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. 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. Classroom and playground rules, bible stories supporting values, rewards and consequences and safety workshops with external visitors all reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety, PSHE lessons and bullying and safety workshops. Whether it be through choice of learning challenge, sitting places, child-initiated activities or participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs; pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is at the heart of our values. 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.
Tolerance of Different Faiths & Beliefs
Bude is situated in an area with limited cultural diversity, therefore we place a great emphasis on promoting diversity within our children's learning. Collective Worship assemblies are regularly planned to address this issue either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Our RE and PSHE teaching reinforces this. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. At Bude we will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.
Protected Characteristics - Diversity and Inclusion
As an infant school, we feel that we have an important responsibility to breed a culture of acceptance, openness and inclusion in a way which is appropriate for children who are so young. We want children to know that how they look or how they are is unique and should be celebrated. We want children to be open to meeting new friends and welcoming new children into school. We want children to know that gender and appearance should not limit our aspirations or goals. We can do ANYTHING we want when we have a positive mindset and when we use our school tookit (values).
We have a special library of books with carefully selected picture books and high quality texts which expose our children to a wide variety of family structures, ethnicities, cultures, abilities/disabilities. They approach many protected characteristics in a sensitive way. We also have links with Bude Pride who have provided a wide range of books on gender and sexuality. We hold special assemblies which challenge stereotypes and beliefs, often using these texts as a discussion point. Our PSHE curriculum has interwoven and carefully planned opportunities to discuss all of these aspects of inclusion, diversity and mutual respect.
