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British Values

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What are British Values?

This is non-statutory advice from the Department for Education. Schools have obligations under section 78 of the Education Act (2002) which requires schools, as part of a broad and balanced curriculum, to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society. This guidance relates specifically to the requirements to actively promote fundamental British values in schools and explains how this can be met through the general requirement in the 2002 Act.

Schools should 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​.

Actively promoting the values means challenging opinions or behaviours in school that are contrary to fundamental British values. Attempts to promote systems that undermine fundamental British values would be completely at odds with schools’ duty to provide SMSC.

PSHE Subject Lead

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Miss Sargeant

What will children learn?

The list below describes the understanding and knowledge expected of pupils as a result of schools promoting fundamental British values.

  • An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process.
  • An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety; an understanding that there is a separation of power between the executive and the judiciary, and that while some public bodies such as the police and the army can be held to account through Parliament, others such as the courts maintain independence.
  • An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law.
  • An acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
  • An understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.​

Whilst instances contrary to our values are relatively rare, no school can guarantee that there will never be instances which are contrary to our values. Each is treated seriously in line with our policies and expectations. ​

Please see our Policies section for further information.

British Values at Meopham Community Academy​

Being Part of Britain​

As a school, we value and celebrate the diverse heritages of everybody at Meopham Community Academy. Alongside this, we value and celebrate living in, and being part of Britain.​

As a whole school we celebrate traditions and customs throughout the course of the year: ​

  • The importance of respecting others, even when they are very different from them (for example, physically, in character, personality or backgrounds), or make different choices or have different preferences or beliefs.
  • Harvest Festival term.
  • Remembrance Day.
  • Key Stage 1 Nativity​.
  • Easter etc.
  • Links to local community through our ‘Academy in the Community’ team​
  • Geography links to our local area​ and Geography teaching includes geographical features in the UK.
  • Teaching of where Britain is in relation to other countries and continents.​
  • ​We value and celebrate national events such as Royal celebrations​.
Democracy

At Meopham Community Academy we are dedicated to ensuring everyone has a voice within our school.​

  • Children, parents and staff have many opportunities for their voices to be heard at Meopham Community Academy. Democracy is central to how we operate. Each class elects its own School Council member reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action. ​
  • The School Council meets regularly to discuss issues raised by class members. Suggestions are then put to the leadership team for consideration and action. ​
  • House Captains are also elected with interested children write their own speeches persuading others in their house to vote for them. Children are elected fairly, and pupils are able to consider characteristics important for an elected representative. ​
  • Pupils are always listened to by adults. Staff ask questions and invite children’s answers and opinions, whether it be in lessons, during assemblies, at lunch time, in the playground or during circle time and PSHE opportunities. ​
  • Pupils and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their own opinions and voices heard. We encourage pupils to take ownership of not only their school but also of their own learning and progress. This encourages a heightened sense of both personal and social responsibility and is demonstrated on a daily basis by our pupils. ​
  • Parents’ opinions are welcomed at Meopham Community Academy through methods such as questionnaires and comment forms at presentations. As well as open/frequent communication with the class teachers through our open door policy and class emails.​
Rule of Law

At Meopham Community Academy, we have high expectations of children’s behaviour and learning and the importance of rules and laws, whether they be those that govern our school or our country, are referred to and reinforced often, such as in assemblies and when reflecting on behaviour choices.

Pupils are taught from an early age the rules and expectations of the school. At the start of the school year, each class discusses the expectations and class routines, principles that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.

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. These values are reinforced in different ways:​

  • Visits from Police, fire service, Network Rail, RNLI and Magistrates (Year 6)​
  • During Religious Education, when rules for particular faiths are considered.
  • To encourage and promote good behaviour, attitude and work, we have devised a reward system which is consistently followed throughout the school. We are committed to praising children’s efforts. We endeavour to praise the children informally, individually, during group work, in front of the whole class and the whole school in our celebration assembly. Children are rewarded not only for achievement in curriculum areas, but for behaviour and general adherence to the school or class rules.​

We acknowledge, celebrate and encourage good behaviour through:​:​

  • House Points (Key Stage 1 & 2)​
  • Weekly Celebration assemblies​
  • Values stickers, stamps, wristbands and trophies
  • Golden star stickers at lunchtime
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those with Different Faiths and Beliefs​

Tolerance, politeness and mutual respect are at the heart of our aims and ethos with ‘Respect’ being one of our Core Values. ​

Our pupils are able to live and work alongside people from all backgrounds and cultures. Our pupils know and understand that it is expected that respect is shown to everyone and to everything, whatever differences we may have. Children learn that their behaviour choices have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community are encouraged to treat each other with respect.

  • Religious Education, PSHE and other lessons where we develop awareness and appreciation of other cultures including visiting places of worship that are important to different faiths ​
  • English through fiction ​
  • ​Art and Music by considering cultures from other parts of the world ​
  • across the curriculum, providing pupils with the opportunity to learn how to argue and defend points of view in English, history, geography, PSHE, digital literacy, etc ​
  • ​celebrating cultural differences through assemblies, themed events and displays. ​
  • Whilst instances contrary to our values are relatively rare, no school can guarantee that there will never be instances which are contrary to our values. Each is treated seriously in line with our policies and expectations. ​
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