Fundamental British Values
Democracy
Democracy is promoted within the school. All adults listen to the views of our pupils and value their opinions. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through the Pupil Parliament. The Pupil Parliament are voted for by pupils of each class. The Pupil Parliament members attend regular meetings and then feedback to their classes and in assemblies. Children also learn about democracy through PSCHE.
At the beginning of each school year, pupils work together to agree their class rules which are based on our 3 behaviour rules - Safe, Respect, Ready and our core values - Respect, Resilience, Confidence, Kindness, Inclusive, Aspiration.
In Nursery, democracy is all about making decisions together. As part of the focus on self-confidence and self-awareness as cited in Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
The staff encourage children to see their role in the bigger picture, encouraging children to know their views count, value each other's views and values and talk about their feelings, for example, when they do or do not need help. When appropriate, the children have the opportunity to demonstrate democracy in action, such as children sharing views on what the theme of their role play area could be with a show of hands.
Staff support the decisions that children make and provide activities that involve turn-taking, sharing and collaboration. Children are given opportunities to develop enquiring minds through a curiosity approach in an environment where questions are valued.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout school, particularly through the behaviour policy and through our school assemblies. The school has its own three rules. Pupils are encouraged to understand the difference between right and wrong, to know that laws protect us and keep us safe, and the consequences when laws are broken. If rules are broken, children are asked to identify which rule it is to ensure that this connection is made and is understood. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce these messages.
Our high quality PE curriculum promotes the concept of 'fair play'. It also teaches children to participate in activities, follow and develop rules, celebrate and reward successes yet to be gracious in defeat.
Staff at Highbury Primary promote positive behaviour by following policies consistently. Rewards are given at class level and during Celebration of Learning assemblies on a Friday.
In Nursery, the rule of law is all about understanding that rules matter as cited in Personal, Social and Emotional Development as part of the focus on managing feelings and behaviour.
Staff ensure that children understand their own and others' behaviour and its consequences, and learn to distinguish right from wrong. Staff collaborate with children to create the rules and the codes of behaviour, for example, to agree the rules about tidying up and ensure that all children understand that rules apply to everyone.
Individual Liberty
For individual liberty we focus on children's self-confidence and self-awareness and people and communities. We help children to develop a positive sense of themselves.
Within Highbury Primary, pupils are actively encouraged to be independent learners and make positive choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. At Highbury Primary School we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through our provision of a secure environment and empowering education, for example through our E-Safety and PSHCE lessons. Whether it be through expressing personal opinions, making decisions about personal objects or playground activities, or participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make their own choices. In some lessons, they can choose a method to present and record their learning as well as choose the level of challenge. Home school agreements give children the opportunity to take personal responsibility for their own behaviour and the choices they make.
In Nursery, individual liberty is all about freedom for all as part of the focus on self-confidence and self-awareness and people and communities as cited in Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Understanding the World.
Children should develop a positive sense of themselves. Staff provide opportunities for our children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and increase their confidence in their own abilities, for example, through allowing children to take risks on an obstacle course, mixing colours, talking about their experiences and learning.
Staff encourage a range of experiences that allow our children to explore the language of feelings and responsibility, reflect on their differences and understand we are free to have different opinions, for example, in a small group they discuss what they feel about transferring into Reception (Year R).
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Mutual Respect and Tolerance: where we learn to treat others as we want to be treated. How to be part of a community manage our feelings and behaviour;and form relationships with others.
This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally divers society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. We are aware of developing curriculum resources which reflect a range of cultures and faiths and prepare children for life in modern day multi-cultural Britain. We regularly hold assemblies around our values and discussions about bullying have been followed and supported by communication with parents, learning in RE and PSHCE. Collective worship is non-denominational and recognises that those attending may have a range of faiths or none. It is however, "wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character".
In Nursery, tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs is all about treating others as you want to be treated. As part of the focus on people and communities, managing feelings and behaviour and making relationships as cited in Personal, Social, Emotional Development and Understanding the World.
Staff create an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance where views, faiths, cultures and races are valued and children are engaged with the wider community.
Children acquire a tolerance and appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; know about similarities and differences between themselves and others and among families, faiths, communities, cultures and traditions and share and discuss practices, celebrations and experiences.
Staff encourage and explain the importance of tolerant behaviours such as sharing and respecting others' opinions.
Staff promote diverse attitudes and challenge stereotypes, for example, sharing stories that reflect and value the diversity of children's experiences and providing resources and activities that challenge gender, cultural and racial stereotyping.
Our school and nursery ethos is centred around positive relationships within an atmosphere of respect and learning.