School VALUES and British Values

Values are principles that guide our thinking and our behaviour. Every month we will concentrate on one of our values.

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,

your thoughts become your words,

your words become your actions, your

actions become your habits, your

habits become your values, your

values become your destiny.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Aim

At Wallop Primary School it is our aim to raise standards by promoting a school ethos which is underpinned by core values. These values support the development of the whole child as a reflective learner within a calm, caring, happy and purposeful atmosphere.

We, therefore,  give regular thought to how values can be used to support the child as a reflective learner and promote quality teaching and learning.

In our society children are increasingly encouraged through advertising to think of happiness as something which can be found simply in the material world. They are generally encouraged to experience life in a world which is external to their inner selves.

As a school community we believe that the ethos of the school should be built on a foundation of values.

We have 4 main values:

• Determination
• Caring
• Cooperation
• Respect

With a further 18 values being taught over a 2 year cycle.

The values we focus on are:

These are at times addressed directly through lessons and assemblies but also permeate the whole curriculum. Either way, they are the basis for the social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual and moral development of the whole child. We encourage children to consider these values, and thereby to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to develop as reflective learners and grow to be stable, educated and civil adults.

Value of the month:

This is linked in the Parents Tab

https://www.wallop.hants.sch.uk/value-of-the-month/

British Values

The DfE have recently 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.”

The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values were reiterated in 2014.  At Wallop Primary School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways. We keep an up to date audit of all such teaching and learning opportunities.

Democracy

Each year the children decide upon their class charter and the rights associated with these. All the children contribute to the drawing up of the charter.

Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have a school council which meets regularly to discuss issues raised in class council meetings. The council has its own budget and is able to genuinely effect change within the school. Two of the three council members for each year group are voted in by their class.

Children have an annual questionnaire with which they are able to put forward their views about the school.

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 and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message.

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 provision of a safe environment and empowering education.  Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of learning challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make 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 the school community treat each other with respect.

Respect those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

 Wallop Primary School is situated in an area which is not greatly culturally diverse, therefore we place a great emphasis on promoting diversity with the children. Assemblies are regularly planned to address this issue either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Our RE and PSHE teaching reinforce this. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.

At Wallop we will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views