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British Values

At The Stoke Poges School British Values are promoted in much of what we do throughout the school year, including our;

  • School collective worship
  • Planned activity days
  • Sessions in targeted and age appropriate curriculum topics
  • Religious Education and PSHE
  • Clubs and extra-curricular
  • The work of pupil council and other pupil-led activities
  • Our positive and inclusive ethos

As well as actively promoting British Values, the opposite also applies: we would actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including extremist views.

We value and celebrate the diverse heritages of everybody at The Stoke Poges School. Alongside this, we value and celebrate being part of our local community and Britain. We celebrate traditions such as customs in the course of the year; for example, Harvest festival and learn about the traditions of different cultures in our community. We also value and celebrate national events such as Remembrance Day. We work with our local PCC and links to our local church.

Our children learn about being part of Britain from different specific perspectives within their curriculum topics, for example:

  • Geography, where we ensure that children have a better understanding of what Britain is, learning more about its capital cities and countries, its rivers and mountains, where Britain is in relation to the rest of Europe and other countries in the world.
  • History, Britain and its influence in modern times is woven into our thematic topics.
  • Music, study of British composers and their influence worldwide.
  • Art, study how British artists influence others.

Democracy

Children, parents and staff have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. Democracy is central to how we operate. An obvious example is our School Council. The election of the School Council members reflects our British electoral system and demonstrates democracy in action: candidates prepare a talk to their peers about their vision and pupils consider characteristics important for an elected representative, pupils vote in secret. Others examples of pupil voice are:

  • Election of Team Captains
  • Children agree class rules or charter
  • Team Captains are trained to support peers in meaningful play
  • Prefects giving awards to peers

Rules and Laws

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 or reflecting on behaviour choices. All pupils are supported and encouraged to adhere to our school rules; be ready, be safe, be respectful.

Individual liberty

Alongside rules and laws, we promote freedom of choice and the right to respectfully express views and beliefs. Through the provision of a safe, supportive environment and empowering education, we provide boundaries for our young pupils to make choices safely, for example:

  • Choices about what learning challenge or activity to do
  • Participation in extra-curricular activities
  • Choices about lunch time options

Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are taught how to exercise these safely, such as in our e-safety, drug, relationship and PSHCE lessons.

Mutual respect and tolerance of faiths and beliefs

We are proud to promote and celebrate the different backgrounds and beliefs of our whole school community and those that our pupils encounter on a daily basis. Mutual respect is implicit in our aims and ethos. Our children know and understand that it is expected that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have, and to everything, whether it is a school resource or a religious belief.

Our children learn that their behaviour choices have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community should treat each other with respect.