"The second is this: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Mark 12:31
British Values
British Values in education refers to a Government initiative introduced to teach children the values of:
- Democracy,
- The rule of law
- individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
Each of these is considered to be a fundamental British Value.
The Department for Education published guidance on promoting British Values in schools as of November 2014 "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 and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
What do British Values Mean?| Democracy |
Democracy is when a group of people have equal rights and the freedom to choose how they are treated, rather than when one person has all the power an makes the decisions. it can also refer to the way in which we vote for the person or group we want to represent. |
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Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have a School Council which meets regularly to discuss issues raised in class and to focus on whole school projects. The children who represent classes on our school council were nominated and voted for by pupils. We have a Values Council which also |
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| Individual Liberty | Individual liberty is when people have the freedom to choose their faith, beliefs, likes and dislikes which are outside Government control. |
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| The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country are consistently reinforced throughout the school day, when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reason behind the laws that govern and protect us, the responsibility that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. | |
| Rule of Law | Rule of Law mean that all people and groups are rules by the same laws which help to keep us all safe and happy. |
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| Within school pupils are actively encouraged to make choices knowing they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for pupils to make safe choices through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms for example through assemblies, PSHE and e-safety lessons. | |
| Mutual Respect | Mutual respect is showing respect and tolerance towards people whose beliefs, traditions, race, culture and opinions may be different to our own, which is then shown back to us. Finding out about each other will help us to understand and to treat others in the way we would wish to be treated. |
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| Mutual respect is at the heart of all our values. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own right and the rights of others. All members of the school community are expected to treat each other with respect. Staff are expected to be good role models at all times. | |
| Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs | Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs is showing respect towards people who share different beliefs and traditions to our own |
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| We are extremely lucky at St Paul's in that the school community has a wide range of diversity, which we celebrate in many different ways. Assemblies and the curriculum are planned to address this issue directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Our PSHE and RE teaching reinforces this. Children experience virtual visits of places of worship that are important to different faiths. Another key way that we show tolerance of others is reflected in how the children work and play positively with each other. | |
The Main Teaching Principles for Pupils Learning British Values
Through an integrated approach across all subjects, St Pauls' encourages and enables our children to
- Have respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.
- Be able to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England
- Develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem, and self-confidence.
- Accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely.
- Acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England.
- Acquire an appreciation for and respect for their own and other cultures to further develop the tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions.
- Have respect for all people.
Inclusive Teaching on 'British Values'
Not everyone agrees on what 'British Values' should represent, or if they want to promote these. Like all countries and cultures, some elements of Britain's history were not fair or respectful to all and 'British Values' can therefore be a controversial idea.
Britain is now a multicultural society with many different races and ethnicities defining 'British Values' in their own unique way. Teaching about 'British Values' should therefore take this into account at all times and recognise that some people may not agree with a traditional, principally white, male, interpretation of what these values should be.
Check out these two brilliant BBC Teach videos that offer different perspectives on the history of 'British Values' and show why some people might not agree with a blanket definition of these values.
This first video looks at Victorian Values, which still have a huge impact on British culture and values today, click here to watch.
The second video looks at Black British History and the way this has not been incorporated into traditional teaching or included in the foundations of Britain's cultural values system, click here to watch.