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British Values

Preparing for Life in Modern Britain

At Burlish Park Primary School we uphold and teach pupils about the British Values as directed under Ofsted guidance, which states that the school should:

‘promote tolerance of and respect for people of all faiths (or those of no faith), cultures and lifestyles; and support and help, through their words, actions and influence within the school and more widely in the community, to prepare children and young people positively for life in modern Britain.’

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

We ensure that through our school aims, agreed class charters, curriculum and teaching, we promote respect and tolerance for all cultures, faiths and lifestyles. As educators, we have a duty to prepare our children for life in the Britain of today and to keep them safe. We value the importance of and support the current Ofsted guidance.

These values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE), SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) 

and Religious Education (RE). We also teach British Values within our broad and balanced curriculum, ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery include real opportunities for exploring these values.

The school takes opportunities to actively promote British Values through our whole school systems and structures and through our daily assemblies.

Actively promoting British Values also means challenging pupils, staff or parents/carers expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.

At Burlish Park Primary, British Values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy

UN CRC Article 12: Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account

  • Democracy is an important value at our school. Every year there is a democratic process where each class can nominate a representative for our School Council. Children are encouraged to see the link with the real world and to know about the main political parties and how Government works.
  • In their half-termly School Council meetings they discuss and vote on decisions that will impact the school. The children learn about representation, its importance and meaning; how to organise the agenda and chair a meeting and the value of having a voice. Key focus areas for discussion are our school priorities, what is going well across the curriculum and any suggestions for further improvement.
  • The children learn the vocabulary related to democracy such as representation, nomination and voting.
  • Democracy is taught about and discussed in PSHE lessons and assemblies.
  • Our robust History curriculum teaches how British history has helped to shape Modern Britain and its values.
  • In Year 6, children also have the opportunity to nominate themselves to be a House Captain. They have to write their letter of application and outcomes are announced in a whole school assembly.

The Rule of Law

UN CRC Article 19: Governments should ensure that children are properly cared for, and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents, or anyone else who looks after them.

  • At Burlish Park Primary, we have high expectations of pupil conduct, reflected in our Behaviour for Learning Policy and which is clearly evident to visitors of the school. The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout the school day.
  • At the start of every school year, we focus on our STARS values, our rules for How to be safe and happy at Burlish Park Primary School which are displayed around the school. All of the children are expected to sign and adhere to the Home/School Agreement to remind them about what is expected from them, including how we must behave in school.
  • We have clear behaviour protocols in place, that are followed by all members of staff from teacher to support staff and lunchtime supervisors. The children understand the procedures in place, and what will be the consequences of their actions.
  • A key part of our Behaviour for Learning Policy is allowing children time and opportunity to reflect upon their behaviour, what they need to do to change their behaviour in future and to whom, if appropriate, they need to apologise.
  • Children are given time to consider the part that we all play in society. They learn about their rights and also their responsibilities and how our actions have consequences that can affect those around them. Through the agreed STARS values, our curriculum including PSHE lessons and our assemblies, visits and visitors, children are taught to know right from wrong, how to keep themselves safe and to do the right thing, even when it is difficult.
  • Visits from other agencies including PCSOs, Road Safety Team, Fire Service and Ambulance feature in our calendar and help reinforce the message of the consequences if rules are broken.

Individual Liberty

UN CRC Article 31: All children have a right to relax and play, and to join a wide range of activities.

UN CRC Article 15: Children have the right to meet together and to join groups and organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights

  • Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices at our school, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our Online Safety teaching and PSHE curriuclum. Pupils are given the freedom to make choices, e.g. signing up for extra-curricular clubs, choosing the level of challenge in some lessons as well as in pupil-led learning.
  • Through the PSHE and Computing curriculum, as well as through visits from the police, road safety and cycling organisations, children are taught how to keep themselves safe in the physical and online world.
  • The assembly timetable is made up of Whole School assemblies, Key Stage assemblies, Mindfulness and Singing assemblies along with a Celebration assembly. These assemblies set the tone for the expectations for the day at school, demonstrate our school ethos, share important information about our STARS values and Burlish Park Primary Values as well as celebrating the success and hard work from the children for the week. Children receive Star of the Week certificates during the Celebration assembly which can be rewarded for perseverance, achievement or being a positive role model for example. House Points also reward children for following the school rules and expectations as well as for their hard work and determination.

Mutual Respect

UN CRC Article 2: The Convention applies to everyone, whatever their race, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say and whatever type of family they come from.

UN CRC Article 30: Children have a right to learn and use the language and customs of their families, whether these are shared by the majority of people in the country or not.

  • Our vision is encapsulated in the words LOVE, LEARN, LIVE. Our aim is that learners will love learning for life.
  • Our core principles and values are shared with all stakeholders through our STARS Values: Sharing, Trust, Achievement, Respect, Safety.
  • Our vision and values are highly visible around the school.
  • We have high expectations about pupil conduct and this is reflected in our Behaviour for Learning Policy and Equality Statement.
  • Children are awarded with stickers and certificates for behaving in a kind, respectful and polite way. They earn House Points for behaviour as well as for effort and achievement.
  • Through their PSHE lessons and assemblies children are taught and given opportunity to develop their understanding of the importance of cooperation, collaboration and to be supportive, understanding and appreciative of differences. Children also learn this in other subjects across the curriculum.
  • Play leaders from Year 6 receive training to support the play of children from Early Years, Key Stage 1 and 2.
  • Children and adults alike, including visitors, are challenged if they are disrespectful in any way.

Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs

UN CRC Article 14: Children have the right to think and believe what they want, and to practise their religion, as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. Parents should guide their children on these matters.

  • Our Equality Statement clearly states our view on the importance of respecting difference in whatever form that difference might take.
  • Education, understanding and awareness of different faiths and beliefs are fundamentally important to us. Tolerance and understanding are taught and promoted through the Worcestershire Syllabus for Religious Education.
  • Our assemblies also promote tolerance and understanding of different religions which compliments the RE curriculum so that the children get an overview of a range of religions whilst learning about one religion in depth each year.
  • Significant religious festivals such as Diwali and Ramadan are studied and celebrated.
  • Children need to learn how to show respect for others and understand that difference is not only acceptable but welcome. Children know that everyone is welcome in our school. Daily assemblies and learning across the curriculum ensure that this message is constantly reinforced.
  • Any concerns raised about lack of tolerance or respect for others on school premises, are followed up stringently.
  • We celebrate awareness days and events, such as the European Day of Languages as a whole school encouraging children to research and discover differences and similarities between us and our European neighbours.  Likewise, we use opportunities such as the Olympics and the World Cup to study and learn about life and culture in other countries. We also celebrate Universal Children’s Day which promotes international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.

Development of Skills & Attitudes to Contribute Positively to Life in Modern Britain

  • Children are encouraged to look after the school building and contents and to see the link between finance and material possessions. They follow the STARS values, which are displayed in every classroom and referred to daily.
  • Each class representative feeds class views into School Council about any matters arising in school that children wish to address and children understand that this is a democratic process.
  • Children learn about key events and figures in history, which/who have contributed to positive changes in society and consider how they can emulate these ideas. Children have many opportunities for learning about Great Britain and the wider world around us.
  • Older children are encouraged to support younger children at key times such as assemblies and lunch times. Playleaders are trained and support play during lunchtimes across the whole school.
  • Children learn about careers right from Early Years and they benefit from visitors speaking to them about career prospects for the future.
  • A huge variety of extra-curricular sporting and music activities are available to promote a positive mental attitude and team spirit. Children learn about healthy competition and how working together can make us stronger. Children have the opportunity to sing within the community and have also represented the school at Young Voices. Children have the opportunity to represent their House or the school in a wide variety of sporting activities.

Cultural Influences

  • We have planned our curriculum carefully to include study about our local heritage. Learning, Educational Visits and visitors to the school occur across the school to enhance the curriculum, such as The Stourport Basin, River Severn, Witley Court, Worcester Cathedral and Walks of Discovery in the Wyre Forest.
  • The children also learn about key events, such as commemorating Remembrance Day and learning about the World Wars, in a variety of ways, e.g. making poppies, watching clips, carrying out research, singing and reading poetry.

Artistic, Sporting & Cultural Opportunities

  • Each class makes regular visits out of school to local places of interest, often with artistic, historical, or cultural significance. E.g.
  • Burlish Park Primary provide a broad, balanced and progressive Art curriculum which is integrated into other areas of the curriculum. The school’s aim is to enable each child to reach their full potential in Art, through investigating and making, research and the development of skills and through the evaluation of their own artwork and that made by others. We aim to ensure that all pupils know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
  • We provide a broad, balanced and progressive Music curriculum which is planned with a cross curricular approach. We use the Charangaprogramme which is an interactive computing package to further enhance the delivery Music lessons in an innovative and engaging way. Year 5 and 6 children learn an instrument, such as the violin, recorder or djembe drums as part of their Music lessons. Each child is recognised as having different abilities and aptitudes. Children are encouraged to make individual progress during Music lessons through a range of activities, irrespective of their starting level. As well as Music lessons, children sing each week in an assembly and as part of performances and productions.
  • At Burlish Park Primary, we aim to provide a high-quality, broad, balanced and progressive PE curriculum which will enable the pupils to become physically literate.  Pupils will develop motor abilities like strength, speed, endurance, coordination, flexibility, agility and balance, as well as their physical confidence. We aim to develop the pupils’ knowledge, skills and motivation necessary to equip them for a healthy, active lifestyle. We also aim to inspire our pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities that will help with their health and fitness. The pupils will hopefully develop a lifelong interest in sport and being physical active.
  • At Burlish Park Primary School, we challenge everyone to be the best that they can be. High expectations, standards and values are promoted throughout the school and within all lessons. At Burlish Park we aim to create learners that are equipped for the future with knowledge and skills such as; independence, resilience, motivation and respect. Religious Education is taught to encourage learners to embody these important qualities; to be independent, motivated and respectful of all others. Religious Education is implemented following the Worcestershire Agreed 2020-2025 Syllabus. The Principle Aim of R.E. is to engage pupils in systematic enquiry into significant human questions which religion and worldviews address. Children develop the understanding and skills needed to appraise varied responses to these questions as well as developing responses of their own.
  • All teachers plan a range of artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities across the year so that learning in all areas is enriched.