Promoting British Values and S.M.S.C. (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) Development
In 2011, the government defined British Values as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We promote these values through our own school values, curriculum and enrichment activities.
Our Mission ‘To try our best, to tell the truth, to look after each other an our community’ is the fundamental basis for our approach to developing understanding around the British Values of ‘RESPECT’, ‘TOLERANCE’ and ‘UNDERSTANDING’.
Our recent end of term assembly focused on multiple faiths rather than the traditional Christianity focus. Elements of Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and ‘Easter around the world’ were presented by each Team during the assembly which then concluded with Team 5 presenting ‘The Easter Story’.
Pupils across the school are also actively engaged in SMSC development via a range of learning opportunities through ‘Go-Givers’ and community engagement projects.
Go-Givers is about developing caring and concerned young citizens with the confidence and skills to make a difference to their communities, both locally and globally. Go-Givers helps children understand how societies function and provides opportunities for them to imagine unfamiliar situations and explore attitudes beyond their own. They learn how they can take action in a meaningful way to make the world a better place.
Work in school focusing on Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (S.E.A.L.) also contributes significantly to our learning in this area. Every term, pupils focus on a specific theme to their learning in S.E.A.L.. Themes include:
- New Beginnings
- Getting On and Falling Out
- Going for Goals
- Good to be Me
- Relationships
- Changes
Each theme focuses on specific values and areas of learning, such as:
- Friendship
- Cooperation
- Honesty
- Responsibility
- Respect
- Courage
In school, staff and pupils are also engaged in work involving UNICEF ‘Rights Respecting School’ and ‘British Council International School’ award. How we promote British Values is linked to the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child.
How do we promote British Values at Stanley Crook Primary School?
The Department for Education have recently reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
Examples of some of the ways we demonstrate British Values at Stanley Crook are listed below:
Democracy
- A Class Charter which is created at the beginning of each school year with the class and signed by all pupils and teachers.
- School Council elections are held at the beginning of each school to select two representatives from Year 1 – Year 6.
- School Council meetings are held on a regular basis to allow children the opportunity to share their views and discuss any areas of interest that have arisen.
- Pupil Questionnaires are completed on a yearly basis to give pupils the opportunity to share their views.
- Children are selected to support in the interviewing process for new staff.
- Class Superstars are voted for on a weekly basis, by the children.
- The Go Giver’s Challenge Award is being undertaken by Team Walliams class.
- Enterprise activities are undertaken by children throughout the school year.
Learning about the main issues in the UK General Election
Our democratically elected School Council meeting with the new MP for North West Durham, Laura Pidcock
Class Council Elections
Our first School Council meeting of the new school year
Rule of Law
- A clear behaviour policy is in place across the school, with consistent rewards and sanctions.
- A Celebration Assembly takes place at the end of each week to reward children who have demonstrated outstanding values.
- Individual Behaviour Plans and Behaviour Logs are in place for children, where the school behaviour system does not meet their needs.
- Regular visits from our Police Community Support Officer.
- We have an annual visit from the Fire Service.
- Buddies in Year 5/ 6 support EYFS children during allocated ‘Buddy Time’ and in their transition on to the Ks1 and 2 playground.
- A clear Anti-bullying policy is shared with pupils and parents at the beginning of each school year.
- Anti-bullying week is given significant status in the school calendar, with lessons and assemblies planned to support it.
- E-Cadets are trained in school as part of an extra-curricular group.
Our Playmakers and Sport Leaders
The Fire Service visit school to deliver their Fire Safety assembly
Mutual Respect
- Through the RE and SMSC curriculum, children are introduced to a wide range of faiths and religions.
- Group work activities are promoted in lessons to support positive relationships.
- Team captains and School Councillors are elected at the beginning of each school year.
- The school participates in Fairtrade Activities throughout the year to highlight the importance of Fairtrade and to raise money for the cause.
- Visitors from other faiths and religions are invited in to school to link to the children’s learning.
- A Multicultural Week is timetabled every year in school, to raise awareness of other faiths and religions.
- ‘International Day’ has been timetabled for all Teams to support their topic work in the curriculum.
- Show Racism the Red Card is supported in school and given a high profile through assemblies and activities.
- National Awareness days are celebrated in whole school assemblies.
- Pupils from each class have an opportunity to showcase their learning in our Celebration Assembly.
- Worker and Writer of the Week awards are given in the weekly Celebration Assembly.
- Headteacher Star of the Week awards are given in Celebration Assembly.
- School Choir and pupils from across the school visit local Residential Homes to deliver festival presentations to residents
#PassOnPlastic
Bishop’s visit Staff and pupils from our school and pupils presented learning from class to church wardens, Rev. Thomas and Rev. Sarah
Pupils in Team Rowling learning about Buddhism
Our School Choir visiting Parklands Residential Home in Crook to deliver their Christmas Carol Service
Pupils visiting the UHC Synagogue in Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Individual Liberty
- A wide range of extra-curricular activities are offered to children.
- E-Safety Week including at E-Safety assembly encourages children to exercise their rights to personal freedom safely.
- A Dojo reward system encourages positive behaviour.
- Anti-bullying week encourages children to act safely and think about others.
- Educational visits and school outings support children in forming positive relationships and broadening their learning.
- Celebrating Success Outside Stanley Crook is a display in the hall to celebrate the achievements of children outside of school. Children share their achievements in Assemblies and their photograph is then displayed on the board.
- Play Makers/ Sports Leaders take responsibility to lead games and activities on the playground at breaktimes and lunchtimes.
Members of our School Council with the Headteacher, Local Councillors and members of Durham County Council at the new village play park after securing a share of a £1.75 million grant aimed at redeveloping local play areas!
Pupils enjoying the design of the new play park – activities and equipment which they decided to purchase and install
At Stanley Crook Primary School we ensure that our children are given the opportunity to uphold these values. Please view/ download the documents below for further information.
Each Team has also linked their Long Term Curriculum Planning to a British Values Curriculum Map. Examples of these planning maps can be viewed below. Please take a look:
British Values – Team Donaldson
British Values – Team Walliams
British Values – Team Morpurgo
All staff have participated in training around developing British Values in school and all staff hold appropriate Prevent accreditation.
