British Values
At Woodmansterne School we strongly believe that the values that we support are not just unique to Britain but are shared by many people in the world represented by the diverse families in our community.
The UK government state that, ‘British society is founded on fundamental values and principles, which all those living in the UK should respect and support. There is no place in British society for extremism or intolerance.’ Woodmansterne School support the values of democracy, rules of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs and these are embedded within our curriculum. These values are found in our own school values identified by all members of the learning community as aspiration,
co-operation, responsibility, respect, unity and honesty.
We plan assemblies and lessons, particularly in PSHE and RE, to teach the children about our values, respecting similarities and differences, tackling stereotypes, understanding structural racism and white privilege and understanding why some people discriminate. Our teaching includes recent and national global events which aim to empower children to have a voice and to stand up against discrimination, valuing equality, tolerance and mutual respect. The topics and lessons in the school’s curriculum are designed carefully and planned by teachers to provide a rich learning experience that will have a positive impact on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school creates a safe space where pupils can discuss issues involving racism, stereotypes, systematic oppression and prejudice. Whilst focusing on all children developing skills in all subjects, we ensure they experience extra-curricular activities such as music, a variety of sports, the arts and outdoor learning. Visits are planned linking with the class topic to provide children with further understanding of the world they live in. We also link with other schools to take part in singing and sporting events. Competitions provide the opportunity for children to meet other children from different schools whilst experiencing the process of decision making and understanding rules and fairness.
As well as promoting British values we would actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views and principles, challenging racial stereotypes and prejudices.
This teaching, ethos and values combine to make Woodmansterne an anti-racist, inclusive and safe place to learn.
To view our full document on British Values, you can download the PDF here