Promoting Fundamental British Values as part of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education in School
Guidance for schools for promoting British values can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380595/SMSC_Guidance_ Maintained_Schools.pdf which is worth reading in full alongside this summary.
The core of Mabel Prichard School’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC) is addressed through the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and foundation curriculums in each key stage, which incorporate Religious Education. British values are promoted within these curriculums and within the school day and ethos of the school. Examples of how these are met are given below:
Collective worship
All phases of the school meet for collective worship once a week through the assembly programme. Alongside this, registration time across the school is used to promote coming together as a class community, and develop values such as fellowship and mutual respect.
School ethos:
We have a values-based curriculum at Mabel Prichard and every half term focuses on a particular value. Students are celebrated in a weekly assembly and those who have demonstrated particular examples of our value of the half term are recognised.
- We believe all children and young people have a right to feel safe and secure.
- We believe everyone should be valued for who they are and know they have a voice and will be listened to.
- We believe everyone has a right to be included within the wider community on equal terms.
- We believe learning should be stimulating, challenging and relevant for all.
- We believe all staff and families should work together to support ambitious our students in achieving ambitious outcomes.
The governing body use these principles in their support and challenge role. Staff, governors, parents and students are reminded of them through classroom displays and school development planning.
Effective relationships
Our students have strong links with the local community and with neighbouring primary and secondary schools. This enables our students to build relationships with their community, develop an on-going appreciation of their local environment and those beyond their immediate area and build confidence in new situations. At the older end of the school, this includes work experience and work ready skills.
Relevant activities beyond the classroom
We believe it is important to develop our students’ independence through their experiences of life beyond the classroom.
All our students have regular opportunities to integrate in the community throughout the week including:
- Forest school
- Swimming
- Library
- Shopping
- Farm
- Theatre
- Integration with mainstream schools
Links with the local and broader community are key to our students’ learning and include taking part in local events, such as visiting the local church to take part in the harvest festival, visiting a Rabi’s house to celebrate Sukkot in a Sukkah, taking part in the annual ‘Shakespeare in Schools’ competition with mainstream schools and annual visits to a wildlife park.
All students leaving post 16 have been in education, employment and training with many going on to college with one taking up an apprenticeship to teach karate.
Respect for and tolerance for other faiths and religions
We encourage our children to share and take turns, and encourage interaction at all times with the other children in their class irrespective of that child’s physical and intellectual needs, race, colour, verbal skills, social background, gender, or any other possible difference. This ethos is encouraged for staff and students alike. We teach our students about other religions and cultures through PSHE and assemblies and there is a value of the month which all students are encouraged to apply their learning.
Understanding right and wrong and the rule of law
Our students learn about the law through their curriculum and their visits to the local community involve an understanding of what is acceptable. A number of students are involved in cycling lessons which require an understanding of the law and why it is necessary. Our older students take part in work experience; understanding the importance of expectations of the workplace, the impact of behaviour on other people, and managing interpersonal relationships.
Democracy
Our student council meet half termly to contribute to school development, school policies and events at the school. All classes are represented and the minutes are discussed after each meeting. Students learn about the democratic process as part of their curriculum.
Rights and responsibilities
Our core principles demonstrate our commitment to our students’ rights and as they underpin the curriculum, they are at the heart of all learning within the school. In addition to this, rights and responsibilities are taught explicitly through the PSHE curriculum
Making a positive contribution
Our core principles include our belief that our students need opportunities to learn to make a positive contribution by being valued, having a voice, being included in the community and ensuring staff are ambitious for their outcomes. Students from Key Stage 4 upwards have opportunities for work experience and the Sixth Form have a variety of work experience opportunities, in addition to individualised learning programmes that prepare them for an independent life, they choose, shop for and cook their own lunch once a week, with a different member of the team leading each time and they learn the skills needed to set up home through the facilities available in the sixth form centre.
Students of all phases are offered inclusion opportunities in the co-located mainstream schools with both classroom-based learning and social opportunities through joint assemblies and fundraising events, as well as opportunities to use local facilities such as the shops, library and leisure centre and learn about the wider community.
All Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 students achieve nationally recognised qualifications through ASDAN and some achieve GCSEs.
Our students enjoy supporting a number of charities, including Breast Cancer Research, Children in Need and the National Autistic Society. All charity work is done with an appreciation of the needs of those benefiting from the fundraising.
Knowledge and respect for public institutions and services.
Our students learn about our public institutions through the PSHE curriculum, this includes learning about both the democratic system we live in and the monarchy. One of our Key Stage 2 classes went to Westminster to meet the Lord and Lady Mayoress of London to ask them about their role.
Our curriculum encourages our students to learn about and experience services in the community, so they are able to understand their rights of access and how they can benefit from these services.
Combatting discrimination
Our high adult / student ratio enables us to monitor incidents of discrimination closely. We place a strong emphasis on positive attitudes and this is modelled by staff. Students are rewarded for positive behaviour and positive activities and these are celebrated in our weekly newsletter and through our certificate system. Our ‘Family Links’ programme ensures our staff and students share an ethos of support and positive behaviour. We have not yet had any incidents of racism or discrimination reported. We also place emphasis on developing resilience, self- confidence and self-advocacy skills in our students to prepare them for future life. They have leadership opportunities through assembly and the school council All of this is intended to build the skills of self-esteem and self-knowledge that would give our students the confidence to speak out, or indicate to someone else, should they ever find themselves in a situation where they feel they are the victim of discrimination.