British Values

How do we promote British Values at St Thomas CE Primary School?

In accordance with The Department for Education, we aim to actively promote British Values in our school to ensure our pupils grow into caring, tolerant and responsible young people who leave school prepared for life in modern Britain and who can make a positive difference to society and the wider world.

Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law.

Pupils are always listened to by the adults and are taught to listen to and acknowledge different opinions through a variety of speaking and listening activities across all year groups. Children are invited to give their opinion regarding the school curriculum through regular Pupil Voice meetings hosted by Subject Leaders and Senior Leadership Team members.

We have a school council; the candidates are elected based on pupil votes to reflect our British Electoral System.

Children are taught to take turns in class, at playtimes, dinnertime and our afterschool clubs.

Children vote in class every term to determine which individual has demonstrated the Terms Value to become the Values Hero.

St Thomas’ has 3 school rules that encourage the children to be the best that they can be and ensure that expectations are clear and fair.

School Rules - 

• Be Kind
• Try Your Best
• Listen

At the start of the year each class use the school rules as a bedrock to create their own understanding of how school will look and feel if everyone abides by the rules. We use rewards throughout school within classrooms and through celebration assemblies to highlight pupils who follow the rules which helps make St Thomas’ a safe and nurturing environment that supports all learners.

During PSHE lessons pupils explore and understand how rules are there to keep themselves and everyone else safe.

We ensure children know that they have rights as well as learning to respect the rights of others.

We implement procedures and protocols for dealing with behaviour and bullying, by demonstrating to pupils that we take these instances seriously allows pupils to see school mirroring societies attitudes.

Individual Liberty is embedded at St Thomas’ by;

We support pupils to develop their knowledge, self-esteem, self-confidence.

Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights.

Challenge stereotypes.

Implement a strong anti-bullying culture.

E-Safety units of work are taught throughout school.

Pupils opinions are respected; with many opportunities to be shared.
We run a range of interventions to ensure all learners can achieve their potential.
We have a range of extra-curricular clubs for the pupils to attend.

Mutual Respect is embedded at St Thomas’ by;

It is the aim of our school that every member of the school community feels valued and respected, and that each person is treated fairly and well.

Each week we hold a ‘Celebration Assembly’ where we recognise pupils for a number of different reasons including achievements inside and outside school, children are encouraged to bring in awards gained from community events to celebrate their out of school interests.
Our pupils take on a broad range of responsibilities including librarians and sports and computer leaders.
Our pupils have many talents that we showcase through a range of performance opportunities including Year Group assemblies.
We actively support charitable causes and have raised money for a variety of causes, including local food banks and Children in Need.

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs is embedded at St Thomas’ by;

Pupils are helped to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life.

Staff and pupils are encouraged to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.

Links and visits are promoted with local faith communities and places of worship.

Through the PSHE and RE curriculums pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations.

Collective Worship and discussions involving prejudices and prejudiced-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in Religious Education (RE) and PSHE.

We offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and respected.