British Values
British Values and our Catholic Ethos
The government set out its definition of ‘British values’ in the ‘Prevent Strategy’ (2011), which was designed to prevent the extremism and religious radicalisation of young people. British values are considered by the present government to be democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.The promotion of ‘British values’ is central to Catholic education because British values have their origin in the Christian values of our nation.
“We are proud that Catholic schools promote values that are both Catholic and British, including: respect for the individual, democracy, individual liberty, respect, tolerance and inclusiveness. Our schools promote cohesion by serving more ethnically diverse and poorer communities. Catholic schools provide high standards of education which are popular with parents from all social, economic and faith backgrounds.”
Paul Barber (Catholic Education Service 15 December, 2014)
At St. Martin of Porres Catholic Primary School, we recognise, not only the importance of helping children to flourish academically but also spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, so they are fully prepared for life in British society and for their role as citizens, able to make the strongest possible contribution to the Common Good of all. We teach the importance of British Values by going into the meaning of what it means to live a good life, within a framework of Catholic Christian Values. This provides the context and meaning for understanding why British values are important. Our framework for understanding British values draws on the example of Jesus and his welcome and inclusion of all, which is developed in Catholic Social Teaching. At St. Martin of Porres, we provide an education which focuses on the formation of the whole person and on our vocation and purpose in life. We are guided by our mission statement ‘Growing in knowledge and in the love of Jesus’ and by the Christian values of honourable purpose (that is, vocation and service), respect, compassion, co-operation and stewardship as we reflect on our place and purpose in the world. We place a significant emphasis on the celebration of individuality and difference within our communities and our calling to work for the Common Good, in the service of others. Our Catholic ethos, which includes Christian and British values, makes a tangible difference to the way we work together and with our wider communities. Within this framework it would be impossible to overlook the Government’s view of British values expressed as ‘democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.’ The examples that follow are an indication of some of the many ways we seek to embed British values at St. Martin of Porres and should be seen as an indication of our approach rather than an exhaustive list.
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 every day, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through assemblies. The curriculum is designed to ensure children are taught the values and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Our annual Inclusion Week and inclusion generally, are regular parts of our learning programmes and help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty
Within St. Martin of Porres, children are actively encouraged to make independent choices knowing that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. As a School, we educate and provide boundaries for children to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. We encourage children to see themselves as unique individuals able to make a unique contribution to building communities. Children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and receive advice about how to exercise these safely, for example through our lessons and parent workshops for E-Safety.
Mutual Respect
Respect is a core value of our School and is modelled by children and staff alike. The School promotes respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning environments as well as extra-curricular activities such as sport. In line with our commitment to democracy, children are always able to voice their opinions as we foster an environment where children can debate ideas and are safe to disagree with each other. We encourage children to substantiate opinions and to realise the value of co-operation and consensus as well as decision making through voting. Our emphasis on ethics, fairness and justice means that we ask our children to ensure that they look out for those who might be marginalised and disadvantaged. The School takes a very strong stance on social inclusion and anti-bullying.
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
This is achieved through equipping children with the ability to develop positive values, understand their own beliefs and their place in a culturally diverse society. We give our children opportunities to experience such diversity within the School community and within the wider community. All children experience a connection with other cultures and beliefs through our RE and (in Year Six) Citizenship programme, theme days and local, regional and international links. The emphasis on enterprise, working with others, and learning another language (in Key Stage Two) directly contributes to the appreciation of others’ perspectives on life. Our Religious Education curriculum follows the teaching of the Church in providing a broad and balanced education, which includes an understanding of and respect for people of other faiths or none and other religions, cultures and lifestyles.
