School and British Values
Our School Values
Our school values help us to live and learn in harmony together. Staff, pupils and governors chose the six values as a frame of reference for bringing out the best in all of us. They are the foundation of our safe and caring school which is committed to learning and working together. They also underpin our work as a Rights Respecting School where we ensure there is equality, respect, non-discrimination and participation.
Friendship
Respect
Responsibility
Kindness
Perseverance
Creative
As a school, we have an overview for our assemblies which include key themes, a focus on values and learning attitudes. Children are given the opportunity to enter into discussion online during reflection time in class on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
British Values
As well as promoting our core school values within school, we also promote the following fundamental British values: Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual liberty, Mutual respect and Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
At Farndon, we reinforce these values through collective worhsip and regularly throughout school in the following ways:
Democracy – what do we do?
Before each topic studied, pupils have a voice in certain aspects they would like to learn more about;
School conduct pupil questionnaires each year. Results are analysed and SLT report back to the School Council for a session of “You said…we did.”
Class voting for the election of school councillors at the start of the year;
Annual school wide campaign and election for our “Citizen of the Year” in each class;
Provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services through assemblies;
When there is a general election, we hold our very own school election. The leader of the winning party acts a PM over the following year’s School Council;
Teach pupils how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process;
Teach a dedicated topic on the civil rights movement (protests and politics) through quality texts as part of our SMSC curriculum;
Encourage pupils to become involved in decision-making processes and ensure they are listened to in school through key roles or opportunities to speak at whole school assembly;
Help pupils to express their views via the school newspaper or in assemblies;
Model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged;
Year 6 have online question time with an MP within the Houses of Parliament;
Rule of law – what do we do?
Ensure school rules and expectations are clear and fair – Ready, Respect and Safe;
Rules displayed in class and celebration of adhering to these rules through Dojos;
Help pupils to distinguish right from wrong through whole school assembly with a moral / theme as the focus for several weeks;
Help pupils to respect the law and the basis on which it is made;
Help pupils to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals;
Promote the Rights Respecting School Articles (on policies, around school, in assemblies, in the school newspaper etc);
Refer to the Equality Act 2010 as part of our No Outsiders Scheme;
Annual visit from PCSO on range of topics;
Other speakers invited into school include NSPCC and Bikeability
Individual liberty – what do we do?
Support pupils to develop their self-esteem and self-confidence through our Secrets to Success programme and mentoring through the Thinking Schools programme;
The Secrets to Success programme includes the promotion of “Try New Things”;
Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights;
Model freedom of speech through pupil participation in the school newspaper and when speaking in assembly;
Challenge stereotypes through one of the units in our SMSC offer;
Through our Future Citizens, our Year 5 and 6 pupils are taught to recognise their own freedoms.
We look at the importance of equality through one of the units in our SMSC work in every class;
Implement a strong anti-bullying culture;
Online safety units of work are taught throughout school and parents and staff receive training on these every 3 years.
Mutual Respect and tolerance of different cultures and religions– what do we do?
Respect is both a school value and one of our 3 school rules;
As part of our GET…SET..GO curriculum we look at “global” issues and over the year pupils engage in good deeds or one community projects;
Where pupils’ actively display tolerance and respect, they may be awarded Champion status , receive a postcard home or a class Star of the Week certificate;
Each term, our curriculum teams lead on a whole school project with a quality text at its heart, which sometimes focus on respect and cultural diversity;
Use the No Outsiders theme within our Personal Development lessons and through assemblies to explore the protected characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act to promote respect for individual differences and to actively challenge stereotypes;
Within our whole school overview for assemblies, a half term is spent on mutual respect and the tolerance of other faiths;
Use No Outsiders assemblies to explore critical news events (e.g. terrorist attacks, Black Lives Matter etc);
Explore positive role models (where possible) through our SMSC curriculum who reflect the protected characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act such as Harriet Tubman;
Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour through our SMSC unit on Relationships;
Organise visits to places of worship;
Our RE scheme ensures that our children have a good understanding of a range of religious beliefs and customs, including Humanism;
Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life;
Our final unit in our SMSC curriculum focuses on “Future Citizen” with texts that support the learning of the importance of working together to build a positive world in which to live.