Promoting British Values at Ladbrooke JMI School
The DfE have recently reinforced the need "to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on 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."
The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated this year (2014). At Ladbrooke JMI these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy
Each year the children decide upon their class rules and the rights associated with these. All the children contribute to the drawing up of the class rules. We have a school council which meets at least twice a term. All the children are involved in the meetings which are led by the year six children. Elected members of year six are responsible for recording outcomes of the meetings and discussing the outcomes with the Deputy Head or Headteacher. As a result of recent school council meetings, the KS1 playground has been revamped and improved (2012) and the toilets in KS1 and KS2 have been refurbished (2014). The children are also involved in the planning of our creative curriculum, giving their thoughts on what they would like to learn. These ideas are then woven into the curriculum by class teachers.
In addition to this, children complete an annual questionnaire where they are able to put forward their views about the school.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country, is consistently reinforced at Ladbrooke JMI. Pupils are taught from an early age the rules of the school. These are our Golden Rules, Playground Rules and Safety Rules. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty
At Ladbrooke JMI, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are given the freedom to make choices, for example, whether it is through choice of challenge, how they record their work or by choosing to participate in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities. Our challenge homework projects allow children to choose activities that interest them and present them in interesting ways.
Mutual Respect
Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around Core Values such as 'Respect', and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. The school ethos and aims promote respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and Golden Rules, as well as our behaviour policy.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Ladbrooke JMI is a diverse school. We actively promote diversity through our celebrations of different faiths and cultures. Religious Education lessons and PSHE lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others. Members of different faiths and religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. The children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.