How we teach British Values at Hallam Fields

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We believe that it is important that we embed the teaching of British Values across our curriculum.  With this in mind when we designed our curriculum we looked at how we could link British Values in with our topics each term so that they are relevant to children's understanding and experiences.  You can find details of British Values for each term on the curriculum overviews for each term. 

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Teaching British Values

The DfE have 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.”

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The Government set out its definition of British Values in the 2011 prevent strategy, and these values have been reiterated in 2014. At Hallam Fields Junior School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

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Democracy:

Every year the children elect a School Council following campaigns by the various candidates. There is also an Eco council which is elected annually. The children complete Pupil Questionnaires and are interviewed about specific subjects, with the aim of gathering their views on how subjects are taught. There are two termly art awards presented to children in upper and lower school, the winners have been decided upon by the pupils themselves. Class rules are drawn up in consultation with the children and there is a suggestion box where children can submit their ideas for improvement on a range of issues. The school motto “Growing together, Learning together, Achieving together” was devised in consultation with the children, following discussion about the kinds of words and phrases that the children found inspiring and which encapsulated the aims of the school.

 

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 regular school days and through school assemblies. The rule of law is established through the school and class rules, supported by codes of conduct that govern behaviour in all areas of the school. There is also a home school agreement that is signed by every family and all educational visits require a behaviour agreement to be signed by parents/carers. The school promotes the awareness of right and wrong through school assemblies and by teaching the rules that govern world religions. Visits from community police and road safety officers are organised to encourage individual responsibility and compliance with the rule of law.

 

Individual Liberty:

At Hallam Fields Junior School pupils are given the freedom to make choices. These choices relate to participation in extra-curricular clubs and lunchtime activities, choice of challenge in lessons and choice of topic. Pupils are also able to choose jobs at school that are rewarded in the form of tokens. Individual choice and liberty are exercised in a safe and supportive environment, within appropriate boundaries, that allow personal freedoms to be balanced with school community needs. Pupils are made aware of their rights and personal freedoms and how to exercise them safely through e-safety and are encouraged to be considerate to others when making choices.

 

Mutual Respect:

Mutual respect is at the heart of our values. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of our school community treat each other with respect. The school has embedded a culture of mutual respect through assemblies and in lessons and by promoting it on posters around the school. Staff have adopted the “fish” philosophy which embraces the principle of mutual respect at all times. Examples of how mutual respect is encouraged include peer assessments which are carried out in a constructive manner and our Rewards and Sanctions policy which endorses mutual respect as a key principle.

 

Tolerance:

At Hallam Fields Junior School we place a great emphasis on promoting diversity. We do this by teaching a variety of world religions through the RE curriculum and by marking a range of religious events such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. We have multicultural displays around the school and organise visits to diverse places of worship. We also invite a cross-section of faith leaders to visit the school and take part in assemblies and lessons to broaden the children’s understanding and experience of world faiths and cultures.

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In order to teach British Values we use the brilliant book 'We are all born free' to learn about British Values and Human Rights.  Each term we focus on one area and develop children's understanding by revisiting each year.  

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