British Values

British Values at Brentry.

The government set out their definition of the British values in the 2011 Prevent strategy, and they were reinforced in 2014.

The British values are:

• Democracy
• Rule of Law
• Individual Liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

At Brentry Primary School, these values are reflected within our school mission and we reinforce them through the life of our school.

Promoting British Values.

At Brentry we promote the British values across the whole school. Our collective worship reinforces these values, as does our broad curriculum. The British values are taught through PSHE, SMSC and RE, and are reinforced through subjects such as history and geography.

Value: Democracy    How do we promote it?

• We encourage children to have a say in what happens in our school and in their local area. We have a School Council which has representatives from each class who meet regularly to discuss ways to make improvements and changes within our school.
• Each year the children decide upon their class charter and all the children contribute to the drawing up of the charter.
• We have systems of class monitors and prefects in Year 6 that are chosen.
• We encourage children to decide which charities we would like to raise money for each year. COTs (contribution to society) encourages children to understand how to be contributing citizens and decide on their preferred charity as a class.
• Democracy is also promoted through PSHE lessons and assemblies where children are taught to respect their rights and the rights of others.
• We welcome a range of external visitors throughout the year including local councillors.

Links to the school mission: Responsibility

Links to the PSHE curriculum: Being me in my world, celebrating difference

The impact democracy has on our children:

Children at Brentry learn how to respect the outcome of a democratic process and learn how to manage feelings of disappointment if not chosen or elected. They learn to help make decisions and share ideas as individuals and in groups, confident that their pupil voice will have a respectful and active audience. They understand their responsibilities to the school and the wider community.

Visitors.

In Term 1 we had a visit from the local councillor Mark Weston who talked to the whole school about his role and how the democratic system works. He invited the children to share their ideas on play areas in the local area as there was extra funding to improve them. The school council came up with ideas that they presented to him.

In Term 3, two children from Simmonds class suggested running a fund raising event to collect money for the animals in Australia affected by the devastating fires. The whole class supported this idea and voted to hold a sale, to be held on Brentry's own ‘Australia Day." Donations came entirely from the parent and school community and the event warranted their class's 'Contribution to Society' activity. £400 was raised and sent to the WWF to help their work in this particular area. It was a brilliant outcome - and demonstrated the power and influence of the pupil voice.

Value: Rule of Law   How do we promote it?

• Children at Brentry know what is expected of them, why rules are so important, and what the consequences are if they do not follow them. They learn about the importance of different rules whether they be laws of the classroom, home, local or global societies.
• Each year, the class begins Term 1 by discussing class and school rules and the reasons for having and keeping them. An E-Safety agreement is also revisited and reinforced.
• Positive reward systems are in place to celebrate achievement in each class. There are well defined sanctions within each class.
• Our PSHE curriculum and assemblies teach children about trust, respect and honesty. We encourage children to develop a strong sense of morality; knowing right from wrong and doing the right thing even when it’s difficult.
• We ensure children understand laws are made in parliament and explore how these laws are made. Year 6 make a visit every year to the Houses of Parliament and then feedback to the rest of the school in assembly.
• We plan visits from authorities such as the Police, Fire Service etc. regularly to help reinforce The Rule of Law.
• Internet Safety week carries an annual theme where the rules and safety procedures taught within the IT curriculum are reinforced and consolidated. 

Links to the school mission: Responsibility, Safety

Links to the PSHE curriculum: Being me in my world, Healthy me, Relationships

The impact The Rule of Law has on our children:

Children at Brentry show respect for the rules and the law. They understand their responsibilities and the consequence of their behaviour. They feel safe in a secure and respectful environment. Older children in the school set a good example for younger children to follow.

In Term 2 Brunel class had a visit from the Avon and Somerset fire brigade who talked about fire safety rules and why they are important.

Value: Individual Liberty   How do we promote it?

• We teach children to value and appreciate their individual liberty within the UK and understand this is not true for all other countries across the world.
• We encourage children to make choices at different points in the school day within a safe and supportive environment. Children make lunch option and activity choices. They have the choice of challenge in some lessons and how they record their work.

• Allowing children to understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms safely e.g. during annual whole school Safety, on line safety and anti-bullying weeks, RE lessons and PSHE lessons.
• We teach children to respect the rights of others and things through the values of empathy and tolerance, as well as understanding and knowledge.
• The theme of 'individual liberty' is embedded into our broad and balanced curriculum. This is covered explicitly in history by Y1 where children learn about changes to women's rights as well as how people can overcome a disability to achieve international success through their topic on Mary Anning and Louis Braille; and in Y5 pupils study a topic on Bristol's involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. 
• In Term 2, during Black History Month, children learn about the past and the importance of freedom, the right to equality and free choice. Each class learnt about a different historic figure who have promoted this. For example, Rosa Parks in Year 3, who also have their class named after her.

Links to the school mission: Enjoyment, Responsibility, Safety

Links to the PSHE curriculum: Being me in my world, Relationships

The impact Individual Liberty has on our children:

Children at Brentry feel a sense of belonging and feel their opinions are valued. They develop strategies to manage different situations in which they need to make choices. They are aware of how to stay safe in different situations. They enjoy and value the freedoms that they have, of speech, of thought and of being themselves while remaining respectful of others' differences.

Value: Mutual Respect   How do we promote it?

• Being ‘Responsible citizens’ is part of our school mission SHARE. Children learn to be respectful and polite to others.
• We have high expectations of how children behave which is reflected in our behaviour policy.
• Children learn that their behaviour has an impact on their rights and those of others.
• We promote opportunities for children to work together with others in a class, team, group or older buddy.
• We warmly welcome all visitors and newly arrived children and their families.
• All members of the school community treat each other with respect.

Links to the school mission: Responsibility

Links to the PSHE curriculum: Being me in my world, Celebrating Difference, Dreams and Goals, Relationships.

The impact Mutual Respect has on our children:

 Children at Brentry are respectful towards others. They respect and value theirs and other’s achievements and opinions. People feel valued and welcomed at our school.

Value: Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.   How do we promote it?

• Brentry 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 promote this British value through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures.
• Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. We welcome parents from different cultures and faiths to share their knowledge and experience with us in class, assemblies and special events.
• Children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.
• Our teaching of Religious Education where children learn about different religions, their beliefs, places of worship and festivals.
• Children learn about different societies and cultures through geography and history topics.
• Assemblies mark and celebrate significant religious festivals and current affairs.
• We organise international days and other special days where children learn about other cultures.

Links to the school mission: Responsibility

Links to the PSHE curriculum: Celebrating Difference, Relationships.

The impact Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs has on our children:

Children are respectful to those who have different beliefs or lives to them. Children learn to discuss issues from different viewpoints and show empathy to others e.g. In Y5, children are invited to think about how the aspirations of young people from countries other their own compare to their own dreams and goals. Children at Brentry appreciate the differences in other children’s cultures and can talk about it. They understand when behaviour towards others is not acceptable, including any type of discrimination.

 In Term 2 Brunel class welcomed a parent into class to talk about growing up in a different culture in Africa.

In term 3, Year 5 welcomed a parent into class to demonstrate some of the positions involved in Muslim prayer and to talk about the impact and purpose of prayer.