British Values

At Ruskington Chestnut Street we celebrate, share and development British Values as part of our whole school values and ethos. The Department for Education state that there is a need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools 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.”

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and these values were reiterated by the Prime Minister in 2014.

At Ruskington Primary School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways.

Democracy

• We regularly demonstrate the democratic process of voting in school.
• Each Year we elect a new school council who are responsible for representing and sharing the views of all the pupils and actively improving our school together. The councillors are voted in by their classmates and represent the processes of government within Britain.
• Pupils in Year 6 prepare and give speeches to the whole school. The school then vote for who they think would best represent their house in school.

Rule of law

• At the start of every school year, children and staff work together to create their own class rules which they all agree on and agree to follow together.
• Children and staff at Ruskington Chestnut Street understand their rights and responsibilities both within our school and in the wider world.
• We regularly enjoy visits from the Police, Fire and ambulance services who explain to the children their roles within society.

Individual Liberty

• At Ruskington Chestnut Street we understand the importance of a safe and supportive environment.
• We learn about how to stay safe through our lessons, collective worships and e-safety lessons.
• Pupils are given the freedom to pick which clubs they would like to attend and it is their responsibility to attend these regularly.
• In lessons, pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and pick their own levels of challenge to stretch themselves further.
• Pupils at Ruskington Chestnut street lead whole school and Key Stage collective worships.
• Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their learning.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance

• One of our core school values is that of respect. At Ruskington Chestnut Street we believe in respecting each other and others.
• We celebrate diversity.
• We follow our own school rules and the rules of law.
• We practise the skills of respect and tolerance in all of our lessons and develop them further on school residential visits.
• We learn about and celebrate events in the calendars of different faiths.
• As part of developing our understanding we visit places of worship and meet with people of different faiths in order to further develop our understanding.
• We learn about the wider life of Britain outside of our own locality and community.