Value of the Month & British Values
We all have values by which we and our families try to live our lives by. These can include values such as integrity, trust, respect, kindness, perseverance, justice and so on. Our Values include all the British Values and incorporate these into our curriculum.
At Educate Together we have our 4 core principles and the objectives in the Learn Together curriculum. We use values to teach about this.
Each month we look in depth at one and bring it into all we do. This way the children begin to think for themselves what they, their families, the school and their friends think is important. We find that discussing values helps children to realise that whilst we may all have different beliefs and different cultures or ways of life we actually share much in what we believe in.
By referring back to the values children can begin to think about how to behave and respond to the situations they come across in life. They are helped to understand what is important to their own family and to others. This way they will grow up able to understand and find the shared values with all people they come across.
Are there any faiths or cultures that do not value honesty, respect, friendship or kindness? By sharing and discussing these we realise that we have far more in common with each other than what separates us.
To see our Value of the Month timetable click here:
British Values are important to us and fit in completely with Learn Together and our values. They represent the relationships we form with one another and underpin our ethos.
Parklands is committed to serving the community and surrounding areas. We recognise the multi-cultural, multi-faith nature of the United Kingdom and understand the crucial role our school plays in promoting these values.
We encourage admissions from all those entitled to education regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexual, political or financial status. We are an inclusive school and the promotion of modern British values and democracy is clearly evident within our school.
We understand the importance of the current Ofsted guidance: should ensure that they and the school promote tolerance and respect for people of all faiths (or those of no faith), cultures and lifestyles; and support and help, through their words, actions and influence within the school and more widely in the community, to prepare children and young people positively for life in modern Britain.
Democracy
Children are actively encouraged to have a voice and share their views and opinions regularly.
Each child contributes their ideas to their own class charter. This sets rules for classroom conduct and establishes the standards of behaviour children can expect from each other over the year. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through Learn Together sessions and through our pupil questionnaire. Children use debating in their learning and understand the principles they should follow. Our school behaviour policy ensures that both sides of any dispute are taken into account, with agreed sanctions in place. Parents, Carers and staff complete questionnaires which provides them with the opportunity to share views of the learning at Parklands and suggest ways in which the school can be improved further.
Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are reinforced throughout our regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour. Children 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. Our school and class rules, rewards and sanctions, which are displayed in all classrooms and referred to regularly and consistently upheld are a practical example of this. The concept of the Rule of Law is also reinforced through teaching activities in our citizenship curriculum.
Individual Liberty
Within our school, children are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young children to take risks and to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it is through choice of learning challenge, how they record their learning, lunch options, participation in extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, children are given the freedom to make choices and make decisions.
Mutual Respect
As an Educate Together school, 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 is reinforced through our behaviour policy, school and class rules.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
We place a great emphasis on promoting diversity with the children. Collective Worship is 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. Each year the children explore a world faith alongside their learning about Christianity. By the time they leave us, all children have learnt about the beliefs and practices of people of the following world faiths; Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. As part of our Whole School Pause entitled ‘Around the World’ the children have experiences of many cultures including language, food, dress and beliefs and customs.
Preventing Radicalisation and Extremism
Radicalisation is defined as the act or process of making a person more radical or favouring of extreme or fundamental changes in political, economic or social conditions, institutions or habits of the mind.
Extremism is defined as the holding of extreme political or religious views. The Governing Body of Parklands has a zero tolerance approach to extremist behaviour for all school community members. We rely on our strong Christian values to steer our work and ensure the pastoral care of our children protects them from exposure to negative influences.
We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its children. As a school we recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation is no different from safeguarding against any other vulnerability. At Parklands all staff are expected to uphold and promote the fundamental principles of British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. All staff and governors have undergone Prevent training.
- Children are encouraged to adopt and live out our Core Values. These complement the key “British Values” of tolerance, respect, understanding, compassion and harmonious living.
- Children are helped to understand the importance of democracy and freedom of speech, through the SEAL (Social, emotional aspects of learning).
- Children are taught how to keep themselves safe, in school and when using the internet.
- Children participate in local community events so that they appreciate and value their neighbours and friends who may not share their faith background.
- Children’s wellbeing, confidence and resilience is promoted through our planned curriculum and extra-curricular learning opportunities.
- Children are supported in making good choices from a very young age, so they understand the impact and consequences of their actions on others.
Curriculum
Our curriculum promotes respect, tolerance, diversity and British values. In Key Stage 1 we study several famous British people such as Guy Fawkes, Florence Nightingale, Queen Victoria and Major Tim Peake. We also celebrate or commemorate key dates in British history such as Bonfire Night and Remembrance Day. British history is interwoven within our topics. We study geographical and historical elements of Britain. We learn about the Roman Empire and its impact in Britain. We study the life of Henry VIII, World War I as well as looking as the lives of significant British explorers. We also look at crime and punishment across the ages.
As a school we hold Remembrance Day commemorations where children purchase poppies, a two minute silence is held.
