This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects
all staff, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment’.
British Values
The DfE have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to 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.”
The Government set out its definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy. At Adel St John the Baptist, we believe that alongside our curriculum, SSMC and daily collective worship our Christian identity and values play an important role in upholding these British values within our school community.
Love Prayerfulness Faithfulness
Generosity Hope Gentleness
Awe and Wonder Kindness Compassion
Joy Forgiveness Patience
Peace Self-Control Justice
| These values, shared by those of all faiths and none, are demonstrated within the five headings that make up British Values: |
Democracy:
Expressed through the Christian Values of Generosity, Kindness and Compassion
At Adel St John the Baptist C of E Primary, pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard in a number of ways. Our School Council, made up from children across Key stage 2 represents the views of the children in our school. They meet regularly with the Headteacher, Chair of Governors and school chef to discuss ways to improve the life of the school.
Our participation in community and national charitable events, often initiated by the children themselves, encourages a willingness to share with each other for mutual benefit and to be generous in helping each other. Our Gold Awards established to celebrate children’s achievements is enhanced by a pupil vote – in which children praise each other’s efforts and acknowledge achievements of their peers, a decision based on academic as well as pastoral successes.
Children are taught about the electoral democratic process in preparation for our school premises being used as a polling station.
The Rule of Law:
Expressed through the Christian Values of Justice and Self control
The importance of Laws, are consistently evidenced in the day to day life of our school, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies.
The behaviour policy at Adel St John encompasses other principles such as fairness, inclusiveness and equality of opportunity. It is linked not only to judgement, but to forgiveness and reconciliation too. In simple human relations it is about treating each other fairly and is typified in the ‘Golden Rule’: “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.” [Matthew 7.12] This is a feature of our School Prayer and hence can be seen as an expectation in the day to day life of the school.
Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws that 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 are regular parts of our calendar.
Adel St John teaches children that we are responsible for our own actions and we know what is right and what is wrong. They learn to take responsibility and always striving to do the right, rather than the wrong, thing. Our ‘outstanding’ judgement by Ofsted for behaviour illustrates that we are successful in adhering to this value and the teaching we give to children on this, including the need to have, and to follow, ‘school rules.’
Individual Liberty:
Expressed through the Christian Values of Justice and Self control
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make positive choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our on-line Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it is through choice of challenge within learning, participation in extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect:
Expressed through the Christian Values of Love, Peace, Compassion and Forgiveness
Our school ethos and positive behaviour policy centres around ‘Respect’ and children have been part of discussions within the curriculum and Collective Worship related to what this means to them and how it is presented within Adel St John, the Adel community and the wider world. Our 2015 SIAMS Inspection report describes our Collective worship as ‘inclusive and inspirational, in that children are encouraged to relate it to the attitudes they have in their wider lives.’
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:
Expressed through the Christian Values of Generosity, Kindness and Peace
Our children share a growing understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and they have many opportunities to experience diversity. We are proud to be an inclusive school, members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Our RE curriculum enables our children to learn about different faiths and to share their own. They are encouraged to recognise the need to live harmoniously with one another, to be at peace with themselves and one another in their day to day lives.
Groups such as our Racial Harmony Committee lead Adel St John in celebrating our diversity. They have written their own child friendly policy and other pupils speak regularly about the success of this school committee and explain that ‘it makes you feel more relaxed about yourself knowing that you will never be bullied’.