British Values

Introduction

As part of our vision Enjoy, Enrich, Achieve, Aspire, we understand that character education is every bit as crucial to our students’ development as academic success. Our ‘HEART’ points and 6 ‘character traits’ complement the five fundamental British values identified by the Department for Education:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.

In addition to our commitment to providing a broad and balanced curriculum that develops students’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding, the Bridge Academy Trust takes the promotion of fundamental British values and the prevention of extremism as fundamental to its mission: British Values Statement. 

Examples of our work in promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can be read here: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form.

We use strategies within and beyond the curriculum to secure understanding for students. The examples that follow show some ways that we seek to embed British Values within the student experience.

Democracy

Students are given the opportunity experience democracy within school life and learn about its role in wider society for example through student leadership and through taking part in school-based mock general elections.

Tutor time encompasses Newsround round up, in which students learn about a wide range of topical issues.

The rule of law

Behaviour expectations and the rules that accompany them in addition to our rewards system at the School allows student to experience adherence elements of laws daily.

The assembly rota for our school has a wide range of links to the rule of law.  A range of topics link to this element of British Values, including extremism, e-safety, road safety and other examples.

 Within the curriculum there are many examples of units that link to law, and the table below demonstrates some of these links.

Individual Liberty

The School is introducing a Peer Mentoring scheme where students will be able to seek support from their peers for low level concerns, such as friendship issues.

Student surveys, PDT ‘exit tickets’ are used to gauge views on a various aspects of life at the School and outside of it, and these are used to shape our approaches as appropriate.  We promote a message of tolerance through our day-to-day interactions, assemblies, and displays around the school amongst other approaches.

Students are given opportunities to shape their own learning experience through individual choices they make. The options process allows them to choose which KS4 courses they wish to study at the start of  Year 10. We offer a range of extra-curricular activities that are open to students who wish to participate.

Mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

Respect of each other and the school environment is one of the HEART expectations for students, as is politeness. This is set out in a clear manner in our behaviour policy and is something we look to embed within the academy at every opportunity. Various areas of the curriculum provide further opportunities to develop student understanding of respect, and examples include respect for competitors in PE and aspects of human rights explored in RE/PDT.

Extra-curricular opportunities frequently take place in contexts where mutual respect within the school and wider community are required. Sports teams who participate in regular fixtures are expected to show respect for team mates and opposition at all times.  There are a variety of roles in the School where responsible and respectful manner is vital, examples being our student leadership team, student ambassadors (changed on a daily basis) and our ArtsMark students, who represent respectful values during a host of community events.

Deeper understanding of religious beliefs and of cultural diversity is explored as part of the humanities curriculum – RE, Geography and History. A key feature is developing tolerance and understanding of differences in their widest sense, something we also cover in assemblies and school visits. We provide ample opportunities for students to reflect on religious and cultural diversity and to respect difference.

We define extremism as it is set out in the 2011 Prevent strategy as:

Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also include in our definition of extremism calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas.

Further detail is provided here: PREVENT Duty on Schools - Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form.

Safeguarding and Reporting Concerns

Our risk assessment of the dangers of religious extremism and far-right extremism is relatively low, but we are vigilant in our safeguarding.

Internet access across the Trust is carefully filtered to exclude inappropriate extremist content. We train staff to be observant towards the signs of radicalisation amongst students.

Students do have lessons exploring the risks associated with extremism as part of their core personal, social, health and emotional (PDT) lessons. They learn about the factors that can lead individuals to be radicalised and the impact that extremist views and acts can have.

Staff, pupils, students or parents and carers who have any concerns about individuals at risk are invited to contact the Safeguarding Team via the details shared here: Child Protection - Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form.