Promoting British Values

At Burrington Church of England Primary School we actively promote the fundamental British values of: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

As part of our broad and balanced curriculum and through our spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision, children demonstrate their development through their:

• Ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values;
• Sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them;
• Ability to use their imagination and creativity in their learning
• Willingness to reflect on their experiences.
• Ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England
• Understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions
• Interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues.
• Use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
• Willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
• Acceptance and engagement with 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 pupils develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain
• Understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
• Understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
• Knowledge of Britain's democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain
• Willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities
• Interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity, and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities.

The British values are reinforced in a variety of ways at Burrington Church of England Primary School.

Some examples are given below:

Democracy

Each year, new members of the School Council are elected.

The children (in each year group), through age appropriate activities, propose and second a member of their class for consideration as their representative. The candidates then have an opportunity to prepare a campaign speech before the children vote for their preferred class member in a secret ballot. The School Council have regular meetings with the Deputy Headteacher and take on a number of responsibilities during the course of the year. These have include taking part in the recruitment process of the school, running charity events, contributing to the planning of the building design as well as assisting with Harvest donations to the local charity. School Councillors nominate a child for the Good Egg Trophy given each term. 

All Year 6s are expected to participate in a leadership role, ranging from Merit Monitor to Almoner. Children wishing to apply for Sports Leadership write a letter of application to Mrs Morris whereas House Captains deliver a speech to their respective house and the children vote for their favoured leader. Each House Captain are responsible for leading their House, particularly during Crew Assemblies, World Book Day and Sports Day. 

The Rule of Law:

At the beginning of each academic year, the children consider the rules for their classrooms and create a class charter.

This allows them to take ownership for creating a happy environment for learning. The purposes of rules (class, school and country) are discussed not only in this class forum but also through regular services. Reinforcement also happens through visits from local community members such as the police. Our Behaviour for Learning policy sets clear boundaries and expectations and outlines our rewards and sanctions systems.
We recognise that in history some dissent has led to positive change (e.g. suffragettes,
abolition of slavery) and that it is important to stand up for your beliefs.

Individual Liberty:

At Burrington Church of England Primary School, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and nurturing environment.

We encourage our pupils to make thoughtful and safe choices and some of these choices are reflected in our schemes of work for e-safety and P.S.H.E. and Forest School. Children are provided with many opportunities to make their own reasoned choices (Learning without Limits pedagogy); whether it is the challenge level of a task (from 'mild' to 'spicy') within lessons or the selection from our extensive extra-curricular clubs, the children can be free to make their own decisions. We celebrate individuality, which is also reflected in the multitude of awards given at the end of term awards ceremony which include sports, reading, maths, the arts, science, caring and good egg awards.

Mutual Respect:

Respect for ourselves and each other is a key message at Burrington Church of England Primary School and is firmly embedded in our School Vision and Aims.

Our House Teams give children an opportunity to work together, valuing each other’s contributions. They meet weekly for collective worship. This is further enhanced by monthly CREW services in which children to plan, lead and work together on one of our school values. The appreciation of the value of every person is also celebrated when each class collaborates in a special act of Collective Worship (usually linked to the Christian Calendar, with each individual participating and taking an important role in the spreading of the Christian message.

We value the diversity of our nation and recognise how much we can learn from unfamiliar people and different cultures.  

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs:

This British value again, is embedded in our School Aims where it states, ‘Every child will take responsibility for their actions and have a respect and understanding of the beliefs, values and needs of others in the local and global community’.

Children have opportunities to explore their own faith and that of others through their many different experiences at Burrington. As well as welcoming visitors from other faiths and nationalities into our school on a regular basis, our PSHE and RE scheme is planned to include discussion and exploration around different faiths and belief systems. Our multi-cultural experiences have included; Black History Month, charity work for Comic Relief, collective worship themes, visits to London and Bristol, among others. The children at Burrington, although living in an area which is not culturally diverse, have many opportunities to demonstrate their respect for other faiths.

Traditions

The school participates in a variety of events which promote the traditions of Great Britain.

Every Year May Day is celebrated with traditional May pole dancing across the school.
Children are taught about the structures of our democracy including the role of Parliament and the monarchy. Every two years, Maple Class (Y5 and 6) visit London and experience iconic British landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street and Buckingham Palace in a walking tour. We are delighted to have received a letter of thanks from HRH Her Majesty, the Queen, in response to the school’s sending of a 90th birthday card.