British Values

Here at Barrow Hedges, we are committed to working together with the community to develop and promote Fundamental British Values throughout our school and within our diverse curriculum. We recognise the importance of providing a curriculum that reflects the multi-cultural, multi-faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom.​

​The DfE has recently emphasised 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 acceptance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”​

​The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these five values will be reiterated this academic year.​

​The 5 British Values are:​

• ​Democracy​
• The rule of law​
• Individual liberty​
• Mutual respect​
• Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs​

​A key part of our plan for education is to ensure children become valuable and fully rounded members of society who treat others with respect and leave school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.​

Democracy

The principle of democracy is consistently reinforced, encouraged and taught at Barrow Hedges Primary School. The school encourages children to have an active voice whilst discussing and making decisions within their school community. The principle of democracy is further explored through history, PSHE and RE lessons, as well as through whole school assembles.​

​School Council​

• Elections are held within classes for school council representatives​
• School council meetings are held twice every half term to discuss ways of improving the school​
• Suggestion boxes in classes to encourage children to share their ideas for ways to improve the school ​
• School Council representatives collect ideas from their peers and bring them forward during school council meetings​

​House Captains​

• Elections are held within Year 6 classes to appoint house captains​

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws – whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country – are consistently reinforced at Barrow Hedges. ​

​Pupils are taught the reasons behind laws and how they protect us, the responsibilities involved and the consequences when laws are broken.  ​

​These expectations are instilled through:​

• ​Charters and expectations displayed in classrooms and corridors​
• 3,6,9 behaviour system ​
• Red and yellow card system for lunch times​
• Whole school, key stage and class assemblies​
• 'People who help us' objectives in EYFS​
• 'Don't eat the teacher' topic in EYFS​
• Tapestry observations in EYFS: following the rules of a game​
• London Fire Brigade visit to KS1 informing children of fire safety​
• KS1 art study of Banksy, questioning "Is it ever okay to break the law?"​
• Sutton Police visit to KS2 for workshops focusing on the age of criminal responsibility: 10 years old​
• Sutton Police visit to KS2 for workshops on anti-social behaviour and online criminal behaviours​
• RE discussions about rules within different religions and cultures​

Individual Liberty

At Barrow Hedges Primary School, pupils are actively encouraged to make independent choices, supported by the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and mutually respectful environment. All staff at Barrow Hedges promote this ethos through the delivery of an empowering curriculum. ​

​Pupils are encouraged to understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are taught how to do so safely, for example through:​

• ​Assemblies – At our school, we follow a scheme called 'Picture News'. Children actively engage in open discussions on human rights and Fundamental British Values linked to the chosen topic.​
• PSHE and Philosophy – Individual Liberty is embedded into the PSHE curriculum, for example through units on individual freedoms and respecting different opinions​
• RE - Individual Liberty is embedded into the RE curriculum, for example through units on religious and cultural differences​
• Monthly Magpies – Each month, a newsletter is shared with parents and children in the community, including key figures that are chosen to promote our core values and Fundamental British Values.​
• School Council - Each class has a school council representative to ensure that the pupil voice is considered in decision making and increase autonomy and personal freedoms of our pupils.​
• Charities and Community Involvement - Children across the school have been given opportunities to support charitable and community efforts through child-led events such as bake sales and fundraisers.​

Mutual Respect

Respect plays a strong part at Barrow Hedges Primary School and is part of our Core Values. Pupils learn that their behaviour has an effect on themselves and others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect and this is also reiterated through our teaching and learning environments.​

​Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum by providing the opportunity for pupils to express their view in a safe environment. Mutual respect is promoted in a variety of ways:​

• ​Anti-bullying week​
• Black History Month when year groups learn about different influential figures​
• Multicultural day when different cultures are celebrated, including the sharing of food from those cultures​
• As part of the 'Monthly Magpies' newsletter, key figures, that uphold core values, are promoted, such as Malorie Blackman ​
• Each class has a 'Class Charter' to reinforce mutual respect between pupils and staff members​
• Remembrance Day commemorations​
• In EYFS, 'What can I celebrate?' topic and circle times encourage mutual respect​
• RE visits to the synagogue in Year 2 and the church for the 'Easter Experience' in Year 4​
• In Year 6, 'Bear and the Hare' stories are written and shared with a local care home​
• Visits from religious leaders, such as a Hindu Priest​
• During French lessons, pupils discover various aspects of the French culture and traditions​

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs​

At Barrow Hedges, children respect the values, ideas and beliefs of others, as they are equipped with the ability to understand their place in a culturally-diverse society. Children are given the opportunities to experience such diversity within our school community. It is of the greatest importance that our children should learn to become strong, tolerant and respectful members of our society. They are encouraged to explore these ideas through a broad Religious Education curriculum, equipping them with knowledge and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. All children are encouraged to develop their interests and skills, and to be open to learning new things through:​

• ​Language of the Week - Celebrating different languages from around the world ​
• Black History Month  - Each Year group learn about different influential figures who are important in History​
• Visits to local places of worship - Embed learning that has taken place in the classroom and let children give children firsthand experiences​
• Creative and inspiring workshops - Aid a greater understanding of different faiths and beliefs with engaging and experienced professionals  ​
• Nativity Performances and Concerts – A way to bring the community together and celebrate what the children have been learning about in school​

​In addition to this, children are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs and celebrate festivities throughout the calendar year. At Barrow Hedges, we strive to ensure that our children leave with the strongest foundation of values, where they can make a successful contribution to our society. ​