Our British Values Statement
At Hempsted Church of England Primary School we ensure that through our school vision, values, rules, curriculum and teaching we promote tolerance and respect for all cultures, faiths and lifestyles. We believe that we have a duty to prepare our children for life in modern Britain and to keep them safe.
The Department for Education have stated 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
- mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
At Hempsted Church of England Primary School these British Values are reinforced in the following ways:
Democracy
Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We value the voice of our children and promote democratic processes such as our house captains and, in particular our school council elections. The school council is elected through a stringent democratic process, whereby children campaign to be elected, and then cast votes in set-up polling booths. Materials provided aim to make this as close to a political ballot as possible. Ideas and events are also planned and discussed with a chance for debate, giving opportunities for different points of view.
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. We have Golden Rules displayed in all classes. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when rules and laws are broken. We also have visits from the local police community support officers, and our upper Key Stage 2 pupils visit Skillzone, where they tour police cells and a magistrate’ court.
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 challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, or pupil organised and run charity events and competitions, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect
Through our core Christian beliefs, children are taught one of our fundamental values of respect. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. Our Behaviour Policy engenders our basic belief in mutual respect. This is integral in classroom rules. All staff in school promote and demonstrate respect for others and this is also reflected in older students in their roles as House Captains, Buddies to younger children and Sports Leaders as well as those who represent the School Council. Achievement is celebrated across the school through our Friday Values Celebration assemblies, our website and through school newsletters.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Hempsted Church of England Primary School is situated in an area which is not greatly culturally diverse, but is becoming more so. Therefore we place a great emphasis on promoting diversity with the children. Our RE and PSHE teaching helps to reinforce this. Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs is promoted in RE as children gain a greater understanding of religious diversity and practices for those religions represented in the UK. Planning for RE is based on the SACRE Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.
How do we celebrate British Values?
As a whole school, Remembrance Day celebrations are held annually where children purchase poppies and a minute's silence is held across the school.
We hold a traditional Harvest Assembly and distribute the produce to our local community.
Every Easter and Christmas we have services at our local church.
We join in with country-wide events and have celebrated the World Cup and the Olympics.
Through the years, we have celebrated different Patron Saint days.
We celebrate and learn about British traditions and those of other cultures and religions.
Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and 90th Birthday Celebrations were both huge events for the school and village, with a community picnic event held on the school field. These had many traditional British elements to it such as Maypole dancing, Morris Dancers, a Brass Band and traditional games.
In 2015/2016, we led a joint school/community Heritage Lottery Funded Project entitled ‘Discovering the World War 1 Home Front: Children, Charities, Food and Farms’ which focused on life in the village during the war. It helped us to understand what life was like for the people of Hempsted, through research and the replication of events of the time, such as fruit-picking and jam-making.
We take part regularly in a range of community events including the Christmas Lights Procession.
Our School Values are:
- Generosity
- Compassion
- Courage
- Forgiveness
- Friendship
- Respect
- Thankfulness
- Trust
- Perseverance
- Justice
- Service
- Truthfulness
Our Golden Rules are:
- We always tell the truth.
- We look after our World.
- We treat everyone with compassion and respect.
- We try our best and persevere.
- We listen to each other.
We strongly believe that our children need to be taught the laws and heritage of Britain and feel a sense of belonging without sacrificing their own identity. We also believe that the promotion of this more than just a display – it is about how all of us (pupils, parents and staff) go about our daily lives and interact with each other. Respect for all and tolerance of all faiths and backgrounds is paramount at Hempsted Church of England Primary School.