British Values

At Acton Gardens, we recognise the importance of preparing children for life in modern Britain and promoting values that are an integral part of 21st century British society.

In accordance with The Department for Education, we aim to actively promote British values in our school to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law.

The Key British Values are:

  • democracy
  • rule of law
  • individual liberty
  • mutual respect
  • tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

We help children remember the British Values through the thumb and finger model

  • Thumb – Democracy – up or down to give opinion.
  • Index Finger – Rule of Law – pointing
  • Middle Finger – Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs – tallest finger pointing to sky
  • Ring Finger – Mutual respect – wedding ring – respect for other people
  • Little Finger – Individual Liberty – sticks out on its own.

Democracy

  • Children vote for school council, eco council and head boy/girl.
  • School Council held a whole school parliament to decide on the school values. Every child from nursery to year 6 shared their ideas. Democracy linked assemblies e.g. Parliament Assemblies with a strong focus on pupil voice.
  • School Council linked to each area of the School Improvement Plan.
  • Pupil feedback is sought during assembly and class time, through questioning and conferencing and a pupil survey about their education at Acton Gardens is conducted on an annual basis. In addition, pupils play a strong role in the recruitment of new staff where their opinions are taken into account in the decision making process.

Rule of the Law

  • Values-based education: Empathy month. Children all taught lessons in empathy. Assembly on kindness.
  • Assemblies linked to the law: school rules, value of respect.
  • Pupil voice: School council, Parliament assemblies and Pupil Focus Groups
  • Parents/carers – Surveys relating to behaviour and safety
  • School behaviour / Restorative justice: Children are helped to understand their behaviours and consequences. During restorative conversations, adults spend time discussing better ways of managing feelings.
  • Visits from police officers
  • Curriculum: People who help us
  • Restorative practice.
  • Speaking and listening curriculum: Giving opinions and explaining reasons; debating.
  • Use these questioning skills across the curriculum to elicit children’s opinions and reasoning. Dialogic teaching – pupils respectfully respond to each other’s ideas using modelled sentence starters.
  • RE and PSHE lessons, we provide opportunities to debate and discuss the reasons for laws so children can recognise the importance of these for their own protection and progression and for other’s also.

Tolerance of culture, faith and orders

  • RE curriculum.
  • Equalities Policy.
  • Behaviour Policy.
  • Cultural themed assemblies e.g.
  • Diwali, Chinese New Year etc.
  • Year group ‘showcase’ events for parents, e.g. Year 3 Romans
  • Regular reflection opportunities throughout the day (pausing to be) and in assembly.

Mutual Respect

  • Anti-bullying week.
  • Black history month.
  • International day: Children learn about different cultures. Parents invited in to share food from their cultures.
  • Shared, common ethical vocabulary reinforced daily – Respect is one of our school values.
  • Positive relationships encouraged, taught and modelled – pupil to pupil, adult to pupils and adult to adult.
  • Ealing RE and PSCHE curriculum
  • Pupil Focus Group and Parliament Assemblies – pupil voice valued.
  • Peer reading buddies.
  • Librarians.
  • Talking Partners in every classroom changed regularly.

Individual Liberty

  • Creating a positive culture and ethos in our school; as such children learn in a safe environment where choices and freedoms are encouraged.
  • We provide opportunities for children to choose their learning tasks and to select the task that will challenge them the most, giving them more freedom and independence to determine their own learning. These are known as the challenges
  • A range of clubs which pupils have the freedom to choose, based on their interests.
  • Through our Online Safety and PSHE sessions, we educate children on their rights and personal freedoms as well as supporting them in recognising how to exercise these freedoms safely.
  • We believe that valuing choice and freedom in daily school life will foster a value for individual liberty as the children embark upon their adult lives.
  • Understanding own responsibility in school in terms of behaviour and learning attitudes – Values education .
  • Pupil’s role within the school community – becoming the best citizen that they can be.
  • Four values– known and articulated by school community members.
  • Weekly values assemblies.
  • Values displayed in every classroom and values lists displayed around the school and evident in action.
  • Sensory equipment in every classroom for when pupils need to calm down and think about their choices.
  • Reward assemblies.

Acton Gardens Primary School judged as GOOD in all areas

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