British Values
At New York Primary School we uphold and teach pupils about the British Values which are defined as:
- Democracy
- Rule of Law
- Individual Liberty
- Mutual Respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
These values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE), Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural Education (SMSC) and Religious Education (RE). We also teach the British Values through planning and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum.
The school takes opportunities to actively promote British Values through our daily assemblies/collective acts of worship and whole school systems and structures such as electing and running a successful School Council. We also actively promote the British values through ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery includes real opportunities for exploring these values. Actively promoting British Values also means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.
‘The pride and integrity of New York Primary are undeniable and emerge from its strong belief and unwavering determination to build an Inclusive society’.
IQM (UK) Ltd November 2014
At New York Primary School, these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy:
Democracy is an important value at our school. Pupils have many opportunities to have their voices heard through our School Council. The elections of members of the School Council is based on pupil nominations and votes with the aim of making New York Primary School a special place to be. The children have worked together and agreed a school Code of Conduct which forms a set of standards which we at New York Primary School actively work and live by. This code is available in each classroom and on the school website and is actively used by children and adults influencing what is an agreed acceptable behaviour.
Pupil questionnaires and interviews also contribute to pupil voice throughout the year.
The Rule of Law:
Our children will experience rules and laws throughout their entire lives. The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced through each school day. Our system for behaviour management is aligned to an agreed set of school and class standards and pupils are involved in the creation of these to fully appreciate the reasons behind them, the positive impact of following them and the consequences of breaking them. Children are asked to identify which aspect of the ‘New York Standards’ they have broken to ensure that this connection is made and understood. We operate within an established behaviour system where pupils respond to praise and earn opportunities to win rewards by maintaining daily positive behaviour standards. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities include the Police, Magistrates, Fire Service, Lifeguards, War Veterans and are regular parts of our calendar to help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty :
At New York Primary pupils are actively encouraged to make good choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we provide boundaries for our children to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and planned curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-Safety teaching and PSHE lessons. Pupils are given the freedom to make choices, e.g. signing up for extra-curricular clubs, choose the level of challenge in some lessons and are becoming increasingly more involved in child–led learning and planning and delivering child led assemblies and extra-curricular experiences and activities.
Mutual Respect:
Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy are based around core Christian values such as ‘respect’ and ‘responsibility’ and these values determine how we live as a community at New York Primary School. Assemblies are based on ‘SEAL/Success Themes, Celebrating Success and Values for Life’ and are central to how we expect everyone to go about their life at our school showing what it means to me a true New Yorker. Children and adults alike, including visitors, are challenged if they are disrespectful in any way. Values are highly visible around the school and can be seen in posters, certificates and as part of our agreed codes and standards.
‘Staff work tirelessly to ensure that all pupils have the same chance to achieve success and make certain nothing obstructs their learning. Any form of discrimination is not tolerated’. Ofsted May 2013
Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:
At New York we place a strong emphasis on promoting diversity among our school. This is achieved through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity in our local community which is predominantly white British. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. We celebrate ‘European Day of Languages’ as a whole school encouraging children to research and discover differences and similarities between us and our European neighbours. Likewise we use opportunities such as Sport and Music to study and learn about life and culture in other countries of the World.