The school takes opportunities to actively promote British Values through its well planned and sequenced assembly programme and whole school systems and structures such as electing and running a successful School Council. We also actively promote British values through ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery includes real opportunities for exploring these values.

 

At St Ives Primary and Nursery School, these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

 

Democracy

 

Democracy is an important value at our school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our School Council and Ambassador programme. The election of all these representatives is decided by pupil votes.

 

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

 

Pupils have opportunities for debating, making decisions and contributions about and on their learning and attend virtual Parliament debates in Year 5 and 6 learning all about Parliament and Laws. Year 6 learn all about democracies as part of their Ancient Greece topic.

 

 

The Rule of Law

 

The importance of laws and values, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days. Our system for behaviour is aligned to an agreed set of expectations.

 

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. Initially pupils learn about the need for rules through games and team working.

 

Visits from authorities such as the police, fire service etc. form part of our calendar and help reinforce this message.

 

To encourage and promote good behaviour, attitude and work, we have devised a reward and sanctions system which is consistently followed throughout the school.

 

We are committed to praising children’s efforts. Children are rewarded not only for achievement in curriculum areas, but for demonstrating expected behaviours.

 

Children’s achievements are also recognised during our weekly Achievers Assembly.

 

Individual Liberty
 

Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices and take risks at our school, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. We support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. We encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights.

 

We have a strong anti-bullying culture and a set of procedures to follow should a bullying incident occur.  As a school we provide boundaries for our children to make choices and take risks safely, through the provision of a safe environment and planned curriculum. We challenge stereotyping when necessary.

 

Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-Safety and PSHE teaching. Whether it be through their choice of learning, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.

 

Mutual Respect

 

Respect is at the heart of our school 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.

 

Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy are based around core values such as ‘respect’ and ‘resilience’ and these values determine how we live as a community at St Ives Primary and Nursery School.  Our assembly programme is based on a set of good life long values which are central to how we expect everyone to go about their life at our school. We discuss differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability and differences of family situations, such as looked-after children or young carers.

 

Fundraising, trips and charitable events and our curriculum enable pupils to explore and understand the lives of others.

 

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

 

This is achieved through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and world.

 

We study other world faiths and learn about their customs, practises and celebrations. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.

 

At St Ives Primary and Nursery we will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.  All staff have had ‘Prevent’ training.

 

The school assembly programme and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying are followed and supported through learning in RE and PSHE