The Department for Education expect 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.

At Culverstone Green Primary School we promote the core aspects of British values through the SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) work that is integrated throughout every year group. We recognise that such development is most successful when those values and attitudes are promoted by all the staff and provide a model of behaviour for pupils.

As a school community, we value and celebrate this country’s diverse heritage. Alongside this, we value being part of Britain. In general terms this means that we acknowledge and/or celebrate traditions in the course of the year, for example, Harvest Festival, Remembrance Day, the British saints’ days but also a diverse range of notable British characters and events, from Harold Godwinson to Jessica Ennis-Hill and the Battle of Hastings to Brexit.

In addition, through the ethos of the school and the systems in place, British values are reinforced in the following ways:

Democracy

Within our school we have the School Council which meets regularly. The School Council, which is elected in a democratic way, is the pupils’ opportunity to raise issues, organise events and activities for the school and put forward their suggestions for new initiatives. Through all areas of the curriculum and at all stages of school, children are taught the importance of listening to others and their viewpoint, understanding that disagreement is not a negative scenario but that respectful discussion and debate is a healthy and necessary process. This allows the pupils to gain a full understanding of democracy.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced. Pupils are taught from an early age the rules and values of our school. There are a variety of systems for rewarding children for, most usually, applying the school’s three guiding core values, being: caring, confident and creative. Equally, the consistency shown in dealing with negative behaviour ensures that all children learn the importance of laws, not just within school but within the community and country.

Individual Liberty

Making the right choices and being responsible for them are important principles at Culverstone Green and they are reinforced throughout the school. All children receive equal opportunities and are encouraged to be independent in making the choice that is right for them. Our pupils are actively encouraged to make informed choices, knowing that they are in a safe and a supportive environment. We provide boundaries for pupils to do this, thus empowering them to make good decisions. This also incorporates understanding how to remain safe through PSHE lessons, assemblies and E-safety sessions. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms.

Mutual Respect

Mutual respect is at the heart of our aims as a school. Children at Culverstone Green learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. Listening to others and behaving as we would want others to behave towards us are important features of everyday school life.

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

We actively promote diversity through our celebrations of different faiths and cultures. School assemblies, Religious Education lessons and PSHE lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others. Members of different faiths and religions are invited in to speak in class and at whole school assemblies and, at various stages of their time at Culverstone Green, the children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.

All staff at Culverstone Green strive to ensure that our pupils leave with the strongest foundation of values upon which to build a successful life and make a positive contribution to our society.