British Values
Promoting British Values and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural
During each academic year our intent is to develop the spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding of each pupil within Dundale Primary School. To help us achieve this we have planned key events throughout each term that serve to create awareness for many meaningful causes as well as raising money for worthwhile charities.
British Values at Dundale
Democracy at Dundale Primary School
Each year the children use the school Be Rules to discuss what these look like in the classroom and around the school. We have our ‘Dundale Way’ which the children have had input into creating. These are displayed in classrooms and around the school.
Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have a school council which meets weekly to discuss issues raised in classes or events (charity) that they would like to lead on. Two of the council members for each year group are voted in by their class.
The children in Year 6 have an opportunity to become the Chair and Vice Chair of our school council. Each year the children who would like to be elected run an election campaign. This involves producing their own manifesto and talking to the children about the reasons why they should be elected and what they would do for the school if they were voted in. We then hold a democratic election, where each child is able to vote for our Chair and Vice Chair of our school council.
The children in Year 6 have an opportunity to become House and Vice House captains of one of our four houses – Tringford, Wilstone, Startops and Marsworth. Children who would like to be elected prepare speeches and talk to the children about the reasons why they should be elected and what they would do for the school if they were voted in. We then hold a democratic election, where each child is able to vote for our House and Vice House captains.
We also have pupil feedback conferencing through our monitoring and feedback to gain views across subjects and wider school development. This may be through class discussion shared via jamboards or google individual questionnaires.
The principle of democracy is explored through visits and wider curriculum opportunities. We have had a visit from the local Mayor to explain what the local council does.
The Rule of Law at Dundale Primary School
Dundale Primary School has very clear whole school Values that are displayed around school and on our school website. As a school, we have created The Dundale Way which lays the foundations of expectations of pupils and staff. The importance of Law, whether it is in the class, the school, or the country, is consistently reinforced by all staff throughout the school day and during assemblies. Our school has a clear behaviour system based on a therapeutic approach but with clear educational and protective consequences in place where needed. Rules and expectations are clear, fair and regularly promoted. 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. Visits from authorities such as the Police and local magistrates support these.
We are committed to praising children’s efforts. Children are rewarded not only for achievement in curriculum areas, but also for demonstrating school values. Rewards are given in the form of stickers, house points and certificates. Children’s achievements are recognised during weekly Time to Shine Assemblies and phase assemblies.
Individual Liberty at Dundale Primary School
We invest a lot of time in creating a positive culture in our school, so children are in a safe environment where choices and freedoms are encouraged. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education - for example, by signing up for extra-curricular clubs, choosing the level of challenge in some lessons and becoming increasingly more involved in child-led learning. A further example is where foundation stage children have the opportunity to choose their extended learning through adult guided child-initiated learning.
As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment, a planned curriculum and an empowering education. Pupils are supported to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour, for example through e-safety. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, e.g. through e-safety teaching and PSHE lessons.
Mutual Respect at Dundale Primary School
Respect is one of our Be Rules of our school. This can be seen and felt in our pervading ethos in school. The pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have and to everything, however big or small.
Images around the school promote all of our school values including respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning rules, as well as our behaviour policy.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs at Dundale Primary School
At Dundale Primary School we follow the Herts Agreed Syllabus for RE in which all major religions are studied and respected. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in PSHE. Through the PSHE and RE curriculums pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations.
The school strongly promotes respect for individual differences. Pupils are helped to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life. Staff and pupils are encouraged to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
Through our curriculum and the routines of our daily school life, we strive to demonstrate tolerance and help children to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens who can build a better Britain for the future.