Schools are obliged to actively promote British values through the curriculum and other school activities. They should challenge pupils, staff or parents who express opinions contrary to British values.

What are British values?

British Values at St Leonards

We aim for our children to develop a sense of being an active part of a community, and to begin to understand their responsibilities within the community.

Democracy

Through Values Education we are committed to the principle that everyone in the school is treated fairly and with respect. Opportunities for the children to experience democracy in action include election of pupils by their classmates to be school and eco councillors. Before voting takes place the nominees put forward their case for election.

Every year the school and eco councillors meet with members of the governing body to feedback on specific changes in the school, and to bring any issues to the notice of the governing body.

Parents and pupils complete annual questionnaires about the school.

During their time in school the children are given many opportunities to develop their ability to speak in public. The older children take part in debates during PSHE and other  lessons, and some of our year 3s and 4s attend the student voice conference with other Leighton/Linslade school pupils each year.

The Rule of Law

We have high expectations of our children’s conduct and behaviour. When we take them on visits or visitors attend our school their manners and consideration for others is often praised.

Our behaviour policy is updated regularly, the school council are involved in this process. Expectations are discussed with all children, and each class explores our school rules of 'Ready, Respectful and Safe' at the beginning of each school year. Behaviour for learning is also discussed and all children understand how to be a ‘SMART’ learner.

Restorative approaches are used  to help solve differences. The children are used to the structure of these meetings (formal or informal). What happened? How did it make you feel? Who else is affected? What needs to happen now?

The house point system enables all members of staff to praise pupils for modelling our values and good behaviour and encourages a sense of working towards a shared goal. Children making bad choices have a clear understanding of the consequences. These help the children to understand that society is underpinned by widely agreed principles that recognise rights and responsibilities. They further this understanding through PSHE lessons, discussion, high quality texts and through the study of History.

Representatives from the Police force, Fire brigade, and other services, visit school to help the children understand the important roles that adults play in society.

Individual Liberty

Through a whole school approach to protective behaviours the children understand that they have the right to feel safe all of the time and  that there isn’t anything so awful that they can’t talk about it to someone. Everybody designs their own ‘safe hands’ nominating people that they could talk to if they were feeling worried. Each class also has a worry box, which is checked by the class teacher and dealt with sensitively. Children know that they can request 'Talk time'.

We value differences within all of our children, the children appreciate that we are all 'unique' and work is carefully adapted to enable all learners to make good progress.

Out of school activities are planned to offer a variety of activities to suit children with different interests.

Individuals are encouraged to take on responsibilities for the school. For example:

Playground buddies

Setting up for collective worship

Librarians

Young sports leaders

Mutual Respect

Respect is one of our core values. The children understand that this is an expectation for everyone. Respect is key to the good relationships at St. Leonard’s that exist between adult:adult, adult:child and child:child. There is an emphasis on developing self-respect and respect for others.

Anti-Bullying is a focus each year and the school council present an assembly on this to the whole school.

Staff, Pupils and their families support a number of charities throughout the year through different activities organised in school. These include charities in our country and those overseas to develop a sense of global responsibility.

Good ‘sportsmanship’ through a variety of sporting activities helps children to develop an understanding of winning and losing.

Values Education also explores key themes such as generosity, compassion, trust, truthfulness and justice.

Our Jigsaw Charter promotes mutual respect, turntaking, listening and a right to privacy during PSHE lessons.  

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

Our religious education curriculum follows the Emmanuel Project. This scheme of work provides children with a wide range of inspiring opportunities following a three step learning process of Engage, Enquire and Evaluate. Throughout their time at St Leonard's Lower our children will explore many religions and increase their awareness of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism.

All members of teaching staff are trained in RE teaching, and 2 members of the teaching team have undertaken a Teach RE distance learning course to further their knowledge and understanding in this area.

As a Church school our collective worship is based on Christianity, however our school values are upheld by all major world religions and good citizenship. Non Christians are free to opt out of collective worship, nativity plays etc.

Our vicar leads collective worship once a week, however we do invite incumbents from other Churches (eg. New Life Community and St Barnabas) to lead our Collective worship also. Class assemblies celebrate festivals from other world religions and cultures eg. Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hannukah. Parents/friends of other faiths and cultures are invited into school to share their experiences and beliefs.

Our key stage 2 children go on a faith tour in Queens Park in Bedford where they get to visit a Gurdwara, a Mosque and a Church. Whilst there they have to respect the wishes of the other faiths eg. covering their head, taking off their shoes, washing their hands. They listen to the different faith leaders talk about the different places of worship.

Christian Values

Christian values are an integral part of our ethos and school life. They permeate the curriculum, our behaviour policy and are an important part of collective worship too.

Like riding a bike, values are learned through a combination of practise and instruction.

Parents are actively encouraged to support the childrens' own values development, creating the role models of the future that we desire them to be. We send home an information sheet on each value every half term with ideas, activities and stories to share within the family setting.

We focus on a new Value each half term.

Our Values run on a two year cycle.