Fundamental British Values

Highgate Primary School is committed to serving its community. The school embraces the belief that at the heart of a modern ever changing, multi-cultural and multi-faith community is the acceptance of key British values. We believe that it is our responsibility to promote and educate on these. In doing so, our learners will be able to grow to become active citizens in the community and country in which they live.

The school believes that this is something not only achieved through the curriculum but through the school’s core values and ethos, as well as its provision for students beyond formal lessons which is underpinned by the spiritual, moral, social and cultural education we provide.

The government set out its definition of “British Values” as follows:

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

Democracy

Democracy is evident within the school: pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our school council and pupil questionnaires. The elections of school council representatives is based solely on pupil voice.

We also encourage:

• Pupils to work collaboratively with adults to design classroom rules and sanctions
• Parent voice through questionnaires.
• Pupils to experience democracy in action through visits, including the Houses of Parliament and City Hall
• The teaching of group work skills so that pupils regularly work in collaboration to develop speaking and listening skills and respect for differing viewpoints
• Pupils to have the option of taking part in an extra-curricular Debating Club

The Rule of Law

The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour. School assemblies are often used to reinforce and remind pupils about the importance of rules and how they keep them safe.

Individual Liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education.

We also encourage:

• Pupil leadership: pupils have key roles and responsibilities in school, such as school and green councillors and playground buddies
• Pupils to learn about e-safety. The school also works closely with our parents to support them to ensure their children are safe on the internet when outside of school.
• Inclusion through our deaf awareness weeks
• Pupils to learn about how to empower themselves through our anti-bullying weeks
• Pupils to develop their self-confidence and self-knowledge through our themes in our PSHCE curriculum

Mutual Respect

Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around Core Values such as ‘Respect’, and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. Photographs around the school promote respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning rules, as well as our behaviour policy

We also encourage:

• Pupils to discuss differences between people through our community events, including One World Evening.
• Pupils and staff to act promptly to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
• Visits to places of worship as part of our RE curriculum
• Opportunities for pupils to discuss differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations, such as looked-after children or young carers.
• Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs

This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity

We also encourage:

• Special events to celebrate the cultural diversity in our community through performance arts.
• Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying, which are then supported through other curriculum areas such as PSHCE and RE
• Working with community groups such as Team London to develop an understanding of community