British Values

Living to Learn, Learning to Live, Together

St Martin’s school is committed to ensure that the children are provided with a broad and balanced Curriculum; one which prepares them for their future adult life and becoming a valued citizen of our every changing society.  We recognise the multi-faith and ever changing society of the United Kingdom and wish to prepare our children for the future.

How we promote fundamental British Values at St. Martin’s School?

St. Martin’s School approaches the promotion of fundamental British values in line with the Government’s 2011 PREVENT scheme of the anti-terrorist strategy CONTEST.

These British Values are: Democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and belief.

These values are regularly promoted through high quality teaching, regular feedback to the children regarding their work, a well-rounded programme of assemblies and a positive behaviour policy. Fundamental British values are also taught through Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development of the students. This gives the children every opportunity to develop and demonstrate the positive attitudes that we expect in order to help them contribute positively to life in Britain.

Each value is defined below and it is clearly demonstrated how we embed it within our curriculum and school. It is, without question, everyone’s duty to ensure they do not undermine these fundamental British values as detailed in the current Teacher Standards Part Two: Personal and Professional Conduct.

Democracy

Democracy is a state of society epitomised by equality of rights and privileges. It can also refer to our county’s electoral systems.  In school, we promote the importance of democracy through such things as:

• Listening to the voice of every child and parent.
• Children are expected to contribute and co-operate, taking into account the views of others.
• The free and fair electoral process for student positions of responsibility, such as Head for the day.
• Two members of each form are elected onto the school council. They meet once every half term to discuss with teachers and a member of the senior leading team to discuss ways they feel their experiences at school might be improved.
• Students being encouraged to consider alternative pathways in lessons.
• Teaching children the origins of Democracy in History when discussing the important role of the Ancient Greeks.
• The use of voting in Mathematics when dealing with data and statistics.
• The use of talk partners in class and every member having a right to their voice being heard.
• The discussion of work completed in Art using peer assessment such as ‘2 stars and a wish’ and giving the children the chance to vote on their favourite piece from the day.

Individual Liberty

Individual liberty suggests the free exercise of rights generally seen as outside Government control.  In school, we allow and encourage the children to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and secure environment to do so. We promote the importance of individual liberty through such things as:

• In PHSE, discussing with the children the different choices that they can make and encouraging them to make the right one.
• The increasing liberty afforded to students as they move up through the years.
• Form 6 are given the choice regarding school trips, both nationally and abroad. All children are given the opportunity to vote as to where they would like their full school summer outing to take place.
• The profusion of extra-curricular activities and clubs, including extended studies.
• Encouraging students to voice views in lessons in a formative manner.
• Offering students autonomy over class work and their academic pathways.
• Discussing with the children what they would like to learn when beginning a new topic, thus giving them some control over their education.
• Students having the right to their opinion and are given the chance to respond and ask questions in every lesson.
• Encouraging all children to feed back to their teacher regarding work (AFL).
• Through E-safety discussions, teaching the children the importance of keeping themselves safe by choosing not to share personal information with others.

Rule of Law

All people and institutions are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and enforced. In school, we promote the importance of the rule of law through such things as:

• Teaching the children from Nursey to Form 6 the difference between right and wrong, and as they mature, this aids their understanding of how one should behave in their daily lives.
• There is a classroom code of practice in every classroom.
• Consistently reinforcing our high expectations of the children and explaining to them the reasons and values behind our rules.
• Marking and feedback, as well as homework, policies set clear boundaries which are explained clearly to students.
• Stressing accountability to everybody including staff [teacher’s Standards/Staff handbook] and students [Student Code of Conduct].

Mutual Respect

The proper regard for an individual’s dignity, which is reciprocated.  Our entire school is built through respect for one another and we believe mutual respect is a vital component of moral development.  In school, we promote the importance of mutual respect through such things as:

• Being an inclusive school where everyone is valued and has a contribution to make.
• Classroom code of conduct.
• Clear guidance on good behaviour in areas such as the playground and off-site locations.
• Teaching the children that their behaviour can influence their own rights as well as those of others.
• Helping children understand that their actions and behaviour can affect others.
• Teaching the children about a wide range of people from history from all ethnic backgrounds and both genders.
• The publishing and enforcement of a smart dress code for students and staff [uniform].
• Wellbeing promotes mutual respect through the skills developed in sessions/ assemblies and the repetition of related content across the ‘slates’ / schemes.
• The use of talk partners in class and every member having a right to their voice being heard as their partner listens to them patiently.
• Promoting the concept of team work within all school sports.

Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

A fair, objective, and permissive attitude to those whose faith and beliefs may differ from one’s own.

In school, we promote the importance of tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs through such things as:

• Allowance of children to observe religious days.
• Acceptance of faith symbolism.
• Religious Studies being taught to all students across the whole school. It is carefully planned to give the children knowledge of the diverse nature of people’s beliefs and cultures, including Diwali, Chinese New Year, Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan.
• Teaching students about the Geography of the world and discussing various religions and beliefs, as well as their relation to the UK.
• Assemblies being planned to give the children the opportunity to reflect on different faiths, cultures, and religions, and allowing the children to ask questions to the guest speakers.

In addition, we believe that there are a further three secondary British Values that we also teach the children and are embedded in our Curriculum.

• Resilience, Charity and Self-Sacrifice