British Values

Here at St Cuthbert’s C of E Junior School, we promote British Values in every aspect of school life. This is taught and reinforced in the following ways.

The Rule of Law

The importance of British Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced in our expectations throughout every school day as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Children are taught the values 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 Fire Service etc. help reinforce this message.

We aim to promote a fair and just school community through the use of our positive behaviour policy. We develop our own Class rules which we work hard to maintain.

Democracy

We celebrate a fair and democratic society. School has a very active school council that meets regularly and participates in many different aspects of school life. The children vote for their own school council representatives. We have representatives in all classes and children put their trust in these children to represent their views. Councillors have also been represented on interview panels for senior members of staff.

Children are always able to voice their opinion and we foster an environment where children feel safe to disagree with each other.

Individual Liberty

Within school, children are actively encouraged to make choices knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. Our PSHE policy underpins and supports this decision making and enables children to make the right choices. It also gives them the vocabulary to enter into dialogue with others in their decision making. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young children to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Children 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 is through choice of challenge, of how they record, of participation in our extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.

We also offer a number of additional clubs for children to choose from. Children’s views are represented through pupil surveys and through the school council. We actively encourage children to share views, ask questions and engage in discussions and debates. We teach children that everyone is entitled to their own views, opinions and beliefs.

Mutual Respect

At St Cuthbert’s C of E Junior School we pride ourselves in our positive relationships. We treat each other with mutual respect and work in a climate where openness, trust and inclusion lay the foundations for their future life.

Our Christian values underpin all aspects of school life and give staff and children the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the values in life that they believe in. It is our values that determine our thinking and behaviour and the way in which we interpret the world around us. We recognise that values we consider to be Christian values are shared by many other religions and cultures as they are solid foundation to learning how to be a respectful, tolerant, well rounded young person. 

We promote responsibility and respect through weekly assemblies and lessons within our SEAL programme. Examples of this are the use of class / school monitors such as playground buddies / House Captains/Head Boy and Head Girl. The children take their additional roles and responsibilities seriously and they are an important part in the smooth day to day running of the school.

By the time children leave St Cuthbert’s they understand that values are important if people in our society are going to live happily together in peace and harmony.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

Through our curriculum, we learn about:

• Our history and heritage.
• Our country and its place within the United Kingdom, Europe and the wider world
• The main world faiths and their place in our locality and beyond.

We teach a broad and balanced Religious Education curriculum, learning about and respecting a wide range of religious beliefs. This is regularly monitored by Head Teacher and school governors. We enhance children’s understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice – based bullying have been followed and supported by our learning in RE and PSHE. We respect and welcome people of all faiths, cultures, abilities and backgrounds.