Promotion of British Values

At Saint James’ CofE Primary School, we aim for all children to grow, learn and flourish academically and, as part of their wider education, to be contributing members of society. Our role is to ensure that we promote and reinforce British values to our children.

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and considered them to be democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs. At this school these values are reinforced as part of school life.

Below are some of the examples that illustrate how we seek to embed British values at this school. They are not an exhaustive list.

Democracy

At Saint James’ Primary School, the principle of democracy is reinforced through democratic decision-making by the children. Elections are held to elect Eco Councillors and Pupil Leadership Team. The Pupil Leadership Team is also responsible for initiating part of the School Development Plan and for holding the school to account for its implementation. Each class decides on its pledge to support the principles of good learning and behaviour in their class.

At Saint James’ we ‘actively promote’, as set out by the government, the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

A key part of our education is to ensure that all children at St James’ become valuable and fully rounded members of society who treat others with respect and tolerance, regardless of background. This ensures that our children understand the importance of respect and leave our school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout the school as a recognition of the rights of the school community to be respected and be able to learn without disruption. Children are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. We have visits from the Police and the Fire Service as an important part of our curriculum to help reinforce this message.

Individual Liberty

At Saint James’ children are actively encouraged to make independent choices, knowing that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide the environment for children to make choices safely.  Children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms. They receive education on their rights and responsibilities through the curriculum.

Mutual Respect

Respect is the core of our school ethos and is modelled by children and staff alike. The school promotes self- respect and respect for others and these are taught through our classroom and learning environments. In line with our commitment to democracy children are always able to voice their opinions and we have created an environment where children are able to voice their concerns and also are safe to disagree with each other.

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

 The school community reflects a number of different cultures, faiths and beliefs. Through the school curriculum we educate the children to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity in the school community.  Children are encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school. Our Religious Education curriculum follows Wigan Council’s Religious Education policy and is part of a broad and balanced curriculum that educates children about a range of faiths, religions and cultures.

We have zero tolerance to those who discriminate against people of different cultures, faiths or beliefs.