british values

At Gentleshaw Primary Academy we value and celebrate the diverse society that we live in, recognising the multi-cultural and ever changing nature of Great Britain.  We place great importance upon upholding and teaching British Values in order for our pupils to be understanding and respectful members of society. The British Values are identified as:

  • Democracy

  • Rule of Law

  • Individual Liberty

  • Mutual Respect

  • Tolerance of those of different faith and beliefs

At Gentleshaw we will encounter these principles throughout everyday school life, but the values are also taught explicitly through the carefully planned PHSE and RE curriculum, as well as underpinning the broad and balanced curriculum which is delivered across the academy. Daily opportunities to promote British Values take place through our whole school systems, structures and expectations. Our pupils are given the opportunity to discuss and explore these values, supporting them in becoming active and responsible citizens. It is also vital that beliefs contrary to British values are always challenged.

Democracy

The principle of Democracy is consistency valued and reinforced at Gentleshaw. Democratic processes are used in school to make important decisions such as electing the representatives of our Pupil Leadership Team and our ECO Warriors. Pupils wanting to put themselves forward for such posts are encouraged to write and deliver speeches with their peers voting for the representatives. Our Pupil Leadership Team are involved in making our school a better place to learn, as well as organising special events throughout the year. Children at Gentleshaw are given a voice and are actively encouraged to express their ideas and opinions on all aspects of school life.

The Rule of Law

At Gentleshaw we promote the rule of law by having a clear and consistent behaviour policy which is applied throughout the school. Children are taught the rules and expectations of our school with staff placing a high emphasis on rewarding positive behaviour.  Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service educate children on acceptable social behaviour as well as safety.

Personal Responsibility and Liberty

Children at Gentleshaw are actively encouraged to make independent choices with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. We promote freedom of choice and the right for children to respectfully express their views and beliefs. Pupils are encouraged to understand responsibility in school in terms of their behaviour and attitude to learning.

Mutual Respect

Mutual respect is at the core of our school life. Children learn from a very early age that their behaviour can affect the feelings of others. Our children are taught how to treat each other with kindness, compassion and respect with all staff members being positive and consistent role models in promoting this. All areas of the curriculum particularly RE and PSHE successfully encourage children’s knowledge and understanding of their responsibility when it comes to being respectful of others.

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

At Gentleshaw we strive to equip our pupils with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society, aiming to give them as many opportunities as possible to learn and experience such differences through trips, visitors, RE days, food tasting, topic work and much more. Our PSHE and RE curriculum provides a broad and balanced education of which children learn about a range of faiths, religions and cultures, right from the beginning of the Early Years Foundation Stage.