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 were reiterated in 2014. 

The curriculum within Ferndale actively promotes these fundamental British Values: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance. Ferndale is committed to ensuring that all of its pupils are offered a broad and balanced curriculum that aims to prepare them for life in modern Britain. Teaching the schools’ core values alongside the fundamental British values supports quality teaching and learning, whilst making a positive contribution to the development of a fair, just and civil society.

Ways in which Ferndale already actively promote the areas within British Values through are curriculum and own values are:

Democracy

  • We formulate and agree a set of ‘class rules’ at the beginning of each school year
  • We work with our children to monitor standards in our school
  • We elect class representatives to the school council
  • We have a school council who meet regularly and provide a ‘pupil voice’
  • We allow the children’s voice to be heard through questionnaires, surveys, discussions
  • We ask children to support the interviewing process for new staff
  • Within assemblies we discuss democracy and carry out debates in assembly to encourage free speech
  • We allow children to listen to and consider others points of view

Rule of Law

  • We have a clear, consistent behaviour policy (based upon positive rewards) which is consistently applied throughout the school
  • We provide opportunities for children to reflect about positive and negative behaviour
  • We have regular visits from our Police Community Support Officer
  • We address issues of law during whole-school assemblies as and when appropriate
  • We give considerable time to individual pupils who require additional opportunities to understand the importance of following rules
  • We encourage visits from external agencies to talk to the children in school
  • We have play leaders to encourage fair play in KS1 and KS2 playgrounds

Individual Liberty

  • Our children are actively encouraged to make choices at school
  • Our children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely
  • Our children are given important roles in school, such as play leaders, prefects, school and echo councillors
  • Our children are encouraged to understand responsibility in school in terms of behaviour and attitude to learning

Justice and Fairness

  • We teach our children how to be safe and how to act safely
  • We promote positive relationships
  • The RE and SMSC curriculum teaches that behaviour has an effect upon those around them and upon their own rights
  • We hold weekly Values’ assemblies when all pupils show respect for the efforts of others
  • We participate in events organised to raise money for various charities  
  • We use educational residential trips to help children learn to get along with their peers

Keep an eye on what’s going on both Nationally and around the World:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround

Prevent

Something, which is clearly not part of any British or European value is extremism. It is important to remember that whilst the threat from so-called Islamic State has been a focus in the Counter Terrorism and Security Act, the Prevent Duty is clear that extremism of all kinds should be tackled too. In England, far right groups such as Britain First and the English Defence League need to be tackled, too. Extremism is not a new topic in education, but schools have a relatively new statutory duty to pay “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.

Read the government’s Prevent duty guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance

Read the government’s Prevent duty guidance for schools

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-children-from-radicalisation-the-prevent-duty

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