British Values
At Primrose Hill Primary School we aim to prepare children for life in modern Britain by promoting the core British Values which are: democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.
We appreciate the diversity we have at Primrose Hill and respect and celebrate our differences and individuality. We aim to broaden our awareness and understanding of different faiths, cultures and lifestyles and promote respect to all individuals that form our amazing school community.
The Department for Education states that there is a 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 were reiterated by the then Prime Minister David Cameron in June 2014.
A Primrose Hill we promote British Values in the following ways:
Democracy
Democratic processes are embedded in the way we work at Primrose Hill. At Primrose Hill Primary School we ensure that pupils have their voices heard in a variety of ways. At the start of the year each class takes part in electing a school parliament member to represent their class. Children complete a ballot to vote for their representative to help their understanding of the democratic process. The school parliament members hold regular meetings to discuss ways to improve the school and to pass on any concerns from their class mates that they wish to raise. They then work together developing actions to solve problems and make improvements.
Pupils views are sought in many ways such as questionnaires, pupil interviews, suggestion boxes, class discussion, assemblies and also at the beginning of the year when they can discuss and draw up their own class rules. Our regular PSHE lessons taught by through 'Jigsaw' also embeds the idea that everyone in class has the right to voice their views. These ideas have been strengthened in Key stage 2 by sending campaign letters to our local MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey, and by her subsequent visits in to school to discuss democracy with the children. We have also welcomed a visit from the Parliament outreach service, who explained the democratic process to key stage 2 children and used voting pods to cast votes and see their results counted on the screen. Year 5 children were able to have a video called with the Speaker of the House John Bercow where they were able to ask questions about the democratic process. These visitors have helped to deepen the children's understanding of democracy
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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. Pupils are helped to learn to manage their behaviour and take responsibility for their actions. Children take part in creating class rules and discuss the sanctions that are a consequence of breaking these rules.
Staff are committed to providing a consistent environment within the school and beyond. We can help some pupils to understand the connection between actions and consequences. PSHE lessons are used to discuss rules and to develop understanding of why we have laws and how they keep us safe.
Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty
At Primrose Hill Primary School we encourage children's individuality and support it through our safe and caring environment. Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. School policies including the Behaviour policy, Anti Bullying Policy and Single Equality and Community Cohesion Policy support this ethos. 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 advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our Online-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it is through choice of challenge within learning, participation in extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. We aim to develop self esteem, self confidence and self knowledge. Pupils understand they have a responsibility for their behaviour and that they model freedom of speech through participation.
Mutual Respect Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Mutual respect and tolerance sits at the heart of Primrose Hill values. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. Respect is often at the centre of discussions in circle time, assemblies, school council meetings and is also discussed in PSHE and R.E and British Values lessons. We encourage and expect respect to be shown at all times in school and children understand the importance of showing respect to others and recognise the powerful effect it can have on other's well being. We regularly ask parents and carers for their views on our school (Parent/Carer Voice) and how it meets the needs of their child, in terms of their happiness and well being.
We teach our pupils to understand their place in a culturally diverse environment and to celebrate all differences in faith, ethnicity, disability and gender. We want our children to understand the wider community they live in as well as the global community and how they can contribute to both and make a difference. We celebrate diversity through many areas of the curriculum including Art, R.E, History, Geography and try to use varied texts to widen our pupil's knowledge of the world. We also celebrate the diversity of our school community through our family engagement work, LGBT work and our celebration of various cultural events throughout the year such as different religious festivals, Black history month, Chinese New Year etc. We also champion awareness of disabilities through special events and lessons. We participate in events and celebrations to broaden all pupils ’experiences and awareness of others experiences. Our RE and PSHE teaching reinforce this. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.
We hold events to raise funds for a variety of charities, including Macmillan, Children in Need and local charities at different periods in the school calendar. This enables our children to think and care for others. We hope that by living in an environment where mutual respect is demonstrated daily, our children will enter the wider world understanding its importance.
In addition to this, throughout the year, each year group is taught a specific lesson on each of these areas and the work produced is collected and celebrated in whole school book.
The values are integral to our aims where every child within the school is seen as an individual with something unique and positive to offer to the wider community.