Promoting British Values
In-line with DfE regulations, at Burton Fields School we have embraced the opportunity to...
...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 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values were reiterated in 2014.
At Burton Fields School these values are reinforced within our curriculum in the following ways:
Democracy:
At the start of each school year, every class chooses a representative for the School Council, School Ambassadors are chosen from Year 5 and Year 6, and House Teams vote for their House Captains.
For all these leadership roles, children are given the opportunity to show-case why they should be chosen and their peers then vote accordingly. The successful candidates are announced to the school in the first Celebration Assembly of the year.
To further develop a sense of responsibility, within a democratic setting, all Y6 pupils are given the opportunity to apply for other positions such as Playground Leaders and Assembly Monitors.
The Rule of Law:
The importance of laws and rules, whether those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at Burton Fields School.
All pupils are involved in formulating and agreeing their Class Charter, and everyone in the school community is aware of their responsibility to behave in an appropriate way.
Pupils 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. Visits from authorities such as our local PCSOs and other emergency services help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty:
At Burton Fields 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 informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education.
Burton Fields School is committed to being a Unicef ‘Rights Respecting School’ and as such all pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example, through our Collective Worship, e-Safety and PSHE lessons. We are aware that on occasions our pupils may make the wrong choices but our learners are developing in a community which encourages clear reflection and provides targeted support to enable pupils to make better choices next time.
Mutual Respect:
As a Unicef Rights Respecting School, all members of our school community are expected to treat each other with respect.
Pupils are taught that everyone has the right to an opinion, and everyone has the right to have their views heard. The children also learn that how they behave has an effect on their own rights and on the rights of others. They learn to take responsibility for their own actions, work together and value each other’s contributions and ideas.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs: Burton Fields School is an inclusive school and we welcome children from many different countries and of different faiths and cultural backgrounds into our school community. We actively promote and embrace this diversity through our celebrations of different faiths and cultures from around the world in assemblies and focus days.
Our emphasis on global citizenship across our curriculum provides opportunities through various topics to learn and understand more about other people’s lives, and focused Religious Education lessons and PSHE Lessons enable us to reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others. Followers of different faiths and religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.
