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British Values

Preparing children to participate fully in modern Britain

At St Mary’s, we actively promote the fundamental British values of:

  • Democracy

  • The rule of law

  • Individual liberty

  • Mutual respect

  • Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

These values are promoted through our Catholic ethos, curriculum, collective worship, relationships, behaviour curriculum and wider opportunities.

As a Catholic school, we believe that every person is made in the image and likeness of God and possesses equal dignity and worth. Our commitment to British values complements our Gospel values and Catholic Social Teaching, helping children to become compassionate, responsible and active citizens who are prepared to contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

British values are not taught in isolation. Children encounter, discuss and practise them through Religious Education, PSHE and Relationships Education, history, geography, English, computing and online safety, collective worship, pupil leadership, charitable action and everyday school life.

British values and our school values

Our school values are rooted in Catholic Social Teaching:

  • Human Dignity – Be Loving

  • Stewardship – Be Caring

  • Promoting Peace – Be Forgiving

  • Preferential Option for the Poor – Be Generous

  • Solidarity – Be United

  • Participation – Be Brave

These values help children understand how British values can be lived through their words, choices and actions.

Democracy

Democracy means that people have a voice, are listened to and can participate in decisions that affect them.

At St Mary’s, pupils are encouraged to express their views respectfully and understand that their voice matters. They are also taught to listen carefully to others, consider different perspectives and accept that a democratic decision may not always reflect their own personal preference.

Children experience democracy through:

  • Voting and elections for pupil leadership roles

  • The School Council and other pupil groups

  • Pupil questionnaires, discussions and pupil voice activities

  • Contributing ideas about school life, learning and improvement

  • Class debates and opportunities to present reasoned arguments

  • Learning about Parliament, government, elections and civic participation

  • Exploring how people have campaigned for democratic rights throughout history

  • Discussing local, national and global issues in an age-appropriate and politically impartial way

Democracy connects particularly with our values of Solidarity—Be United and Participation—Be Brave. Children learn that they can use their voices responsibly, stand up for justice and work with others to make a positive difference.

The rule of law

The rule of law means that laws protect people, help communities to live safely and fairly and apply to everyone.

Our five school rules provide children with an accessible introduction to shared expectations, rights, responsibilities and consequences:

  1. Be kind—even when it’s hard.

  2. Be honest—even when no one knows.

  3. Try your best—even when no one is checking.

  4. Show respect—to everyone, everywhere.

  5. Make good choices—even when you’re invisible.

The rules are explicitly taught, modelled and revisited. Children learn why rules are necessary, how they protect the rights and safety of others and what may happen when a rule or law is broken.

The rule of law is promoted through:

  • Our Relationships and Behaviour Policy

  • Explicit teaching of the five school rules

  • Restorative reflection and repairing harm

  • PSHE and Relationships Education

  • Online-safety education

  • Road, fire and personal-safety education

  • Visits and contributions from members of the emergency services and community

  • Learning about laws, justice, rights and responsibility through history and other curriculum subjects

  • Understanding the difference between school rules, moral choices and the law

Children are taught that actions have consequences and that freedom must be exercised responsibly. They also learn that laws can change through democratic processes and that citizens can campaign peacefully for change.

The rule of law connects with Promoting Peace—Be Forgiving and Stewardship—Be Caring. Children learn to take responsibility, resolve difficulties peacefully and care for their community.

Individual liberty

Individual liberty means having the freedom to make choices, express views and develop as an individual while respecting the rights, safety and freedoms of others.

At St Mary’s, children are encouraged to become confident, independent and reflective learners. We provide a safe and supportive environment in which they can make age-appropriate choices, explore their interests and develop their unique gifts.

Individual liberty is promoted through:

  • Opportunities to make choices within learning and play

  • Developing independence, confidence and resilience

  • Encouraging pupils to express opinions respectfully

  • Teaching children about their rights and responsibilities

  • Supporting children to recognise and challenge discrimination

  • Online-safety education and making safe choices

  • Pupil leadership and positions of responsibility

  • Participation in clubs, enrichment and charitable activities

  • Learning when and how to seek help

  • Supporting pupils to understand consent, personal boundaries and respectful relationships

Children learn that liberty does not mean being able to do anything they want. Our choices must not harm another person or prevent them from enjoying their own rights.

Individual liberty connects with Participation—Be Brave and Preferential Option for the Poor—Be Generous. We encourage children to use their freedom, gifts and voices responsibly and in service of others.

Mutual respect

Mutual respect means recognising the worth and dignity of every person and treating others as we would wish to be treated.

Respect is central to our Catholic identity and our school rule: Show respect—to everyone, everywhere. Children are expected to demonstrate respect for themselves, other people, the school environment, the wider community and God’s creation.

Mutual respect is developed through:

  • Positive relationships between pupils and adults

  • Explicit teaching of kindness, respectful language and good manners

  • Restorative approaches to disagreement and conflict

  • Cooperative learning, play and teamwork

  • Pupil voice and listening to different opinions

  • Learning about equality and the protected characteristics

  • Challenging bullying, discrimination and prejudicial language

  • Celebrating different talents, cultures, families and experiences

  • Catholic Social Teaching and service to others

  • Our weekly Faith in Action Award

Mutual respect connects especially with Human Dignity—Be Loving and Solidarity—Be United. We believe that every person is made in the image of God and deserves to be treated with love, fairness and respect.

Respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

We want children to do more than simply tolerate difference. We want them to develop genuine understanding, curiosity and respect for people whose faith, beliefs, culture or way of life may differ from their own.

Although St Mary’s is a Catholic school, we warmly welcome children and families of all faiths and none. We celebrate the richness that different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences bring to our school community.

Children develop their understanding through:

  • Learning about Christianity and other principal religions and worldviews

  • Religious Education and prayer and liturgy

  • Visits, visitors, artefacts, stories and first-hand experiences

  • Learning about different celebrations, traditions and places of worship

  • PSHE and Relationships Education

  • History, geography, English, art, music and other curriculum subjects

  • Exploring similarities and differences respectfully

  • Challenging stereotypes, prejudice, racism and discriminatory language

  • Learning about the protected characteristics

  • Opportunities to encounter lives and communities beyond our immediate rural locality

Children are taught that people may hold different beliefs and opinions while sharing equal dignity and rights. Discrimination or hostility towards a person because of their faith, beliefs, race, culture or identity is never acceptable.

This connects with Human Dignity—Be Loving, Promoting Peace—Be Forgiving and Solidarity—Be United.

British values across our curriculum

British values are woven throughout our broad and balanced curriculum.

  • Religious Education develops dignity, justice, compassion, service and respectful understanding of different faiths.

  • PSHE and Relationships Education teaches rights, responsibilities, healthy relationships, diversity, consent, safety and respectful disagreement.

  • History explores democracy, Parliament, monarchy, law, protest, civil rights, equality and the experiences of different groups.

  • Geography develops understanding of diverse communities, global interdependence, sustainability and responsible citizenship.

  • English gives pupils opportunities to encounter different voices, debate ideas and communicate respectfully.

  • Computing and online safety teach children to exercise freedom responsibly, recognise misinformation, behave respectfully online and seek help.

  • Collective worship and Catholic Social Teaching encourage children to reflect upon dignity, justice, peace, solidarity and the common good.

  • Pupil leadership and charitable action enable children to use their voices and put their values into action.

Challenging views that undermine British values

St Mary’s is a safe place in which children can ask questions and explore different ideas. Staff teach politically impartial and age-appropriate content and help pupils distinguish between fact, opinion and belief.

Views or behaviours that promote hatred, discrimination, intimidation, violence or the denial of another person’s rights are challenged. Any safeguarding concern relating to extremism or radicalisation is managed through the school’s safeguarding procedures.

How families can help at home

Parents and carers can support children’s understanding by:

  • Discussing news and current events in an age-appropriate way

  • Encouraging children to explain their opinions and listen to another point of view

  • Talking about why families, schools and communities need rules

  • Involving children in suitable family decisions

  • Reading books and watching programmes representing different cultures, families and experiences

  • Visiting museums, places of worship and culturally significant locations

  • Modelling respectful language when discussing people with different views or beliefs

  • Helping children make safe, responsible and respectful choices online

  • Encouraging participation in community, parish and charitable activities

Living our values

British values are evident in the way we learn, worship, behave and care for one another. Each week, our Faith in Action Award celebrates children who live out our focus school value through their words and actions.

Through Rooted in Love, Faith in Action and Learning to Thrive, we want every child to leave St Mary’s as a confident, compassionate and responsible young person who respects others, understands their rights and responsibilities and has the courage to make a positive contribution to society.

Further information is available in the Department for Education’s guidance on promoting fundamental British values through pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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