At Strike Lane we take great pride in promoting a range of British Values. The Government set out its definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and these values have been reiterated once again through the new National Curriculum which was developed in 2014.
British Values can be defined into 5 areas:
Democracy
We believe that democracy is a key value at Strike Lane. Democracy is important to develop the children’s understanding of others and their rights in society.
Each year the children in each class decide upon their class rules and expectations and this has an impact on our schools code of conduct. Children agree to a set of rules and responsibilities to follow throughout school.
Pupils in our school have the opportunity to have their voice heard. One of the ways in which this opportunity is made available is through our School and Eco Council where each councillor is voted in by their class.
The school council place emphasis on being the voice on behalf of children in school; they collect the views and opinions of others in different ways, for example through completing questionnaires and holding interviews; this gives children the opportunity to put forward their views about the school.
The councils meet regularly to discuss any proposals or agendas. The school council creates its own schemes and initiatives and as a group arrange budgets, plan events and make a positive contribution to school life.
At Strike Lane there are different responsibilities that children can achieve ranging from Prefects to Playground PAL’s, Book Fair Attendants and Information Technology Leaders.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws (whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country) are consistently reinforced at Strike Lane Primary School. Pupils are taught from an early age the rules of the school. These are displayed in every classroom as part of a set of non-negotiable expectations.
The school have agreed expectations for behaviour and attitudes to learning, these have been decided on by staff and pupils together and are regularly revisited with the pupils.
We are committed to praising the children’s efforts and ensuring that children understand why they are being praised. At Strike Lane we follow a clear and consistent whole- school behaviour policy for rewards and sanctions. These are communicated clearly to our children in the classroom environment. Children regularly receive rewards for positive attitudes towards learning in both class and our weekly Celebration Assembly. The Progress Cup is given to one member of each class, each half term, who has demonstrated great progress in any areas of learning.
Children in each class are given a variety of responsibilities and are encouraged to take care of their environment and to be independent. These responsibilities are chosen by the children at the start of the year.
Throughout the year we have visits from authorities such as the police, fire service, etc and they help us to reinforce the ethos of our school.
Individual Liberty
At Strike Lane, pupils are encouraged to make choices and take risks, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. We aim to develop children’s self-esteem and place importance in developing self-confidence. Pupils are encouraged to understand their personal freedoms and are taught how to use these rights to best effect.
In Reception children are encouraged to be independent through the continuous provision areas. They learn through a curriculum where the child’s interests are at the heart of everything they do. This strand of independence is then developed and nurtured throughout the school in a stimulating curriculum which is tailored to the needs of the children. Children are consulted on the knowledge and skills that they would like to learn and these are incorporated into the curriculum.
Children are educated about making informed choices, lifestyles and about their rights and responsibilities. Children regularly have the opportunity to discuss issues as they arise and to reinforce the values of the school. All pupils are keen to support charities, whether local, national or global. They are taught consideration for others through our Religious Education curriculum and Personal, Social and Health Education lessons in particular. E-safety and PSHE enables children to make choices in a safe manner.
Fantastic relationships are built in school between all stakeholders and are based on trust and respect. Children know that they have somebody to talk to when they need to speak to someone. At lunchtimes, all children are able to make their own choice from the hot school dinner options. They collect their own dinner and tidy away for themselves.
At Strike Lane children have the choice to attend different clubs and activities ranging from art clubs to multi sports skills; construction to cooking. Their personal interests, skills and hobbies are promoted and recognised to further encourage their freedom of choice.
Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is at the heart of Strike Lane Primary School. Our pupils learn respect for each other through the curriculum we offer as well as the daily ethos of the school. Respect is one of the celebrated 6 ‘R’s that run through the school. At Strike Lane we constantly promote respect for others and the importance of good manners. All pupils are taught the importance of self-respect, honesty and open communication with others and fair play.
Each week, teachers select two Stars of the Week. One of these is chosen for effort in work whilst the other is chosen for demonstrating and applying the 6R’s.
On the playground we promote respect for children’s different needs and everyone has the choice as to how they spend their time on the playground, for example quiet time on the benches, ball games or structured games organised by PAL’s or organisations such as AFC Fylde.
In class, children work together in different ways, for example children are often paired up to support each other in reviewing their learning. Children, are encouraged to identify what they have done well and how they can improve their work further. They are given opportunities to share their learning and to explain to and teach others. Mistakes are celebrated as opportunities to learn.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Britain has a diverse ethnic population. We feel it is important to celebrate this through assemblies and the RE curriculum. We follow a varied religious education curriculum that represents the main religions of Britain today. We recognise the main religious festivals throughout the year. Leaders from different faiths are encouraged to come into school to celebrate the beliefs and the customs of different religions and we have close links with the local Methodist Church.
We believe that tolerance is achieved through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity in our local community which is by large white British.
Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. Our Religious Education curriculum provides pupils with a deep understanding and an awareness of the faith and traditions of religious communities as a basis for understanding and respecting them.
We study and learn about life and culture in other countries. We actively promote values, virtues and ethics that shape our pupils’ character and moral perspective.
We are confident that we will give our pupils the necessary awareness of what it means to be a good citizen in Britain today, and embed in them the building blocks of a successful future and a productive life. Through our RE, PSHE, SEAL, and work in Geography as well as other areas of the curriculum, we are able to make real links between the values of our pupils and the lives of others in their community, country and the world in general. Through our curriculum the children learn about democracy, civic responsibility, rules and laws, the monarchy, equality, values and virtues, environmental awareness and understanding of other faiths.
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