Promoting British Values at St Wilfrid’s RC Primary School

St Wilfrid’s is a voluntary Aided Catholic School set in an environment which reflects the Christian Gospels and Teachings of the Catholic Church. As such, through its curriculum, extra-curricular activities, teaching and learning this school will promote Christian and British values. By doing so, we will ensure that all learners understand the values that have traditionally underpinned British society.  We will prepare pupils for life in England where the population has an increasingly rich diversity of backgrounds, origins, beliefs and cultures by promoting the values on which our society has been built. By teaching pupils these values we will help all to become good citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The DofE reinforce 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.”

Ofsted inspections have found:

“The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is highly effective. It is a strength of the school and is underpinned by the school’s Christian ethos. Very good opportunities for pupils to learn about other faiths, customs and traditions, and to reflect on their relationships with others, are included in their learning. The impact of this is seen in pupils’ respect for themselves and others and they develop a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities. As a result pupils are well prepared for life in Modern Britain.” (Dec 2014)

“Adults nurture every pupil in the school. Leaders celebrate pupils’ cultural differences at every opportunity. This deepens pupils’ learning and means they are very tolerant of others.” (Oct 2019)

Democracy

• We encourage all our children to get involved with the running of their school and provide them with lots of opportunities to show how they can influence decision making e.g. School Council, Chaplaincy Team, ECO Warriors and Reading Council.
• All children regularly complete a Pupil Voice questionnaire with feedback provided to ensure they know that they are listened to by adults.
• Mock elections are held in school to mirror major current events such as the General Election and previously the “Brexit” referendum.
• Pre-COVID, Year 6 pupils visit the Houses of Parliament, attending workshops to broaden their understanding of the Parliamentary system.
• The weekly extra-curricular debating club helps pupils to express their views clearly and to listen, consider and respond to the views of others. Local and national debating competitions enhance these life skills.
• Workshops, surveys, an open-door policy etc. encourages parents to participate in decision making within St Wilfrid’s.

The Rule of Law

• Each year begins with each class creating their “class rules” and understanding the need for rules and boundaries.
• Laws are applied equally to everyone and pupils understand that they provide us with protection and help us to take responsibility for our actions and realise that there are consequences.
• A clear school behaviour policy ensures expectations are understood and applied consistently. Children understand their rights and their responsibilities for the choices they make.
• We organise visits from the police service to reinforce the message of right and wrong. Our local PCSO has a high profile amongst our children frequently visiting school and reading with our children.

Individual Liberty

• We provide a safe and supportive environment where we encourage children to be independent in their learning. Opportunities such as P4C lessons and Debate Club are provided for children to nurture resilience and perseverance and to know and understand the right to free speech.
• Through our Mission Statement and Catholic ethos we teach respect for others and the right of each child to be treated with respect by others. Children understand bullying of any kind is not acceptable.
• We provide guidance on how to make safe choices through e.g. E-Safety week, anti-bullying week, swimming tuition, Junior PCSO’s, whole school worship, our PSHE Curriculum and our Religious Education.

Mutual Respect

• Jesus’ message, “Love one another, as I have loved you” is prominent in school. Children understand the importance of treating everyone with respect and also to expect to be treated with respect by others.
• We use Caritas in Action to assist in maximising cross curricular opportunities to promote our Catholic ethos of love, mutual respect for others and respect for the environment in which we live.
• The weekly Celebration Assembly includes 3 awards for “showing kindness to others in our school community”.
• All staff, including admin and kitchen staff, are involved in promoting respect for others as good manners and kindness.
• P4C (Philosophy for children) and debating club help to reinforce the value of everyone’s opinion in class.
• Regular fundraising activities help children to contribute to and understand their role in supporting less fortunate people in their own community and further afield.

Tolerance of those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

• As a Catholic community, through the RE curriculum and the spiritual life of St Wilfrid’s, children are reminded of their place in a culturally diverse society.
• We actively celebrate diversity and equality with children taking part in themed weeks such as International Week and Other Faiths week.
• Our RE Curriculum provides pupils with a deep understanding of their own faith as well as awareness of the faith and traditions of other religious communities as a basis for understanding and respecting them.
• Our class and whole school worship, both teacher and child led, promotes the diversity of society and the rights of each person to be treated equally regardless of their faith or beliefs.