British Values Statement

The five key British values are reinforced in our school in the following ways:

• Democracy
  In the formal PSHE curriculum, our students are taught about the strengths, advantages and disadvantages of democracy, and how democracy and the law works in Britain, in contrast to other forms of government in other countries. Students are given the opportunity to make their views known both in formal academic settings and through our Student Council which represents and reports back to the forms in each Year Group.
• The Rule of Law
  The school emphasises the importance of laws, by the enforcement of clear and consistently enforced rules of conduct, whether they be those that govern the classroom, everyday relationships between students, and also students and staff or behaviour outside the school gates. Through the formal curriculum and through school assemblies, students are taught the reasons why rules and laws are vital for the good of society, the responsibility that we all have to respect those rules and the consequences when rules are broken. Visits from a number of authorities (all DBS checked) form a regular part of our calendar and help to reinforce this message.
• Individual Liberty
  From Year 7 onwards we provide a safe and supportive environment in which students are actively encouraged to make informed choices. In addition to understanding their responsibilities to be good citizens both in school and out, students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms. They are offered advice on how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it is through the decisions they make in the classroom or the extent to which they take the opportunity to participate in our extra-curricular clubs and extended education opportunities, students are given the freedom to make important choices.
• Mutual Respect
  Our school ethos and behaviour policy has evolved around core values such as ‘respect’, and all our students take part in discussions and assemblies related to what the term means and how it is shown. Respect for others is considered part of the responsibility that students have in return for being trusted to speak their minds and make informed choices. The expectation that everyone within the school deserves respect is accepted by the vast majority of students and, as a result, the school is a safe and harmonious place in which to live and to learn.
• Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
  We believe that intolerance is usually the result of lack of knowledge and understanding. Consequently, we work hard to enhance students’ appreciation of what living in a culturally diverse society is like and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Discussions about prejudice in all its forms including prejudice-based bullying are regular features of RE and PSHE lessons as are visits by outside speakers and visits to local places of worship. These experiences are supported by our programme of theme – based assemblies.

All our students, regardless of their gender, colour, creed, ability, background or disadvantage, experience an education that is broad, balanced, relevant, differentiated and coherent. We encourage all students to achieve their full potential by developing into independent learners who are able to make valued judgments about their lives as individuals and as members of their local and wider communities.