Sherford Vale School and Nursery promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs are taught and regularly reinforced through our broad, balanced and enriched curriculum.

Our Curriculum exemplifies the planned teaching and learning opportunities on offer:

Democracy

What do we do?

• Provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services
• Teach pupils how they can influence decision –making though the democratic process
• Include in the curriculum information on the advantaged and disadvantages of democracy and how it works in Britain
• Encourage pupils to become involved in decision –making processes and ensure they are listened to in school
• Organise visits to the local council and find out about Parliament
• Hold ‘mock elections’ so pupils’ learn about how to argue and defend points of view
• Help pupils express their views
• Teach pupils how public services operate and how they are held to account
• Model how received injustice can be peacefully challenged

The Rule of Law

What do we do?

• Ensure school rules and expectations are clear and fair
• Help the pupils distinguish between right and wrong
• Help the pupils respect the law and the basis on which it is made
• Help the pupils understand that living under the law protects individuals
• Include visits from the police in the curriculum
• Teach the pupils both civil and criminal law and discuss how this might differ from some religious laws
• Develop a restorative justice approach to resolve conflicts

The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught our school rules from an early age. They are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when rules or laws are broken.

Visits from external agencies such as the Police, Fire service, Health professionals and ‘People who help us’ support this and reinforce their understanding of the responsibilities held by various professions.

A consistently applied Behaviour Policy is shared with the children and the Behaviour triangle is used across the school.  High expectations are reinforced and opportunities are frequently sought to praise positive choices. Pupils’ who model behaviour consistent with the school’s high expectations are recognised and used as role models to others’.  Trained Play leaders operate on the playground to support children with their play.

Individual Liberty

What do we do?

• Support the children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence
• Encourage the children to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as, knowing tier rights
• Model freedom of speech through pupil participation, whilst protecting the vulnerable pupils and promoting critical analysis of the evidence.
• Challenge stereotypes
• Implement a strong anti-bullying culture
• Follow the UNICEF schools rights respecting agenda

We actively encourage the children to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment in our PSHE lessons and E–Safety Workshops. The children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance for those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

What do we do?

• Within PSHE and RE lessons, children are taught to respect each other and to work collaboratively. They learn to be supportive of each other and to look for similarities while being understanding of differences.
• Children with school responsibilities such as school council representatives model appropriate behaviours and encourage their peers to demonstrate respect and understanding of others.
• Our school regularly supports charity days. Children often take a lead in raising the profile of charities and raising money for a chosen charity.
• Mutual respect is promoted within PSHE lessons and assemblies. In addition, we take part in national events (i.e. Remembrance Day).
• Regular whole school events such as the Christmas celebrations, themed days and weeks (such as Climate Change Day or Mayflower 400), and School Sports Day involve the pupils working with children of all ages.
• Within our school, children learn to respect the needs and customs of others with different backgrounds; such as those from the traveller community and Service families.
• Within RE lessons tolerance of different faiths and beliefs is promoted as the children learn about different religions, their beliefs, places of worship and festivals.
• This is supported by assemblies, which also mark and celebrate some of the festivals of different religions.
• Significant celebrations, such as Harvest, give pupils the opportunity to learn how these festivals are marked within different communities and religions.
• Within the safe environment of PSHE and RE lessons, the children are given the opportunity to discuss and explore different viewpoints. They learn to listen to and respect the beliefs of others.
• Through the curriculum and visiting speakers in assembly, the children learn about different faiths and their traditions. E.g. through the topic Christmas Traditions around the World.
• Our school respects the rights of parents to remove children from Christian assembles and activities linked to different religions; e.g. Christmas art and craft activities.

We actively encourage the children to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment in our PSHE lessons and  E–Safety Workshops. The children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely. The United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 14 states that Children have the right to think and believe what they want, and to practise their religion, as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. We are proud to support our children in their exploration of this and strongly urge parents to further develop their children's understanding of these matters at home.

Rights Respecting School

At the heart of the Rights Respecting Schools programme co-ordinated by UNICEF UK is embedding an understanding of to embed children’s rights in their ethos and culture to improve well-being and develop every child’s talents and abilities to their full potential.

What do we do ?

•  Children contribute to drawing up of their class charter each term thinking about their Rights and Responsibilities whilst learning and playing together;
• Explore the Rights of the Child and British Values in a Right Respecting themed day each halfterm;
•  School Council reviews the Pupil Survey outcomes and thinks of ways to listen to feedback