British Values
Promoting British Values
The DfE expect all schools “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation … to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.” At Mersey Park these values are reinforced regularly.
Democracy
Each year at Mersey Park the children decide upon their class anti-bullying contract with all the children contributing to the contents. Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have a number of pupils groups made up of elected members from each class e.g.: Pupil Community Group, My Happy Mind and Body Ambassadors, Eco-Committee, Digital Safety Committee. They have their own budgets and are able to genuinely effect change within the school. If you’d like to learn more about democracy and what it means have a look at this video: http://www.parliament.uk/
The Rule of Law
The importance of Laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. 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 such as the Police, Fire Service and Merseyrail help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for pupils to make choices safely, through an environment where pupils are allowed to consider and follow their choices and an empowering curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our Digital Safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of learning challenge, of how they record, of participation in our extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect. We place a great emphasis on promoting the value of diversity with our children through the delivery of the No Outsiders programmes. Assemblies are regularly planned to address diversity either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Our RE and PSHE teaching reinforce this. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.
We provide the children of MPPS lots of opportunities and enrichment activities to incorporate the British Values into the curriculum. If you would like to find out more about this please click on this link.