Promoting Fundamental British Values.

In accordance with The Department for Education we aim to actively promote Fundamental British values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. This is done through a variety of means - assemblies, curriculum and stories for example.

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.

The Fundamental British Values are:

•    democracy
•    rule of law
•    individual liberty
•    mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs 

At St. Mary’s these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

• Democracy:
  Democracy is a core value within our school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our School Council and pupil questionnaires. The elections of School Council representatives are based on pupil votes. All the pupils are involved in drawing up our whole school, e-safety and class rules.
• 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 Town Council and our local MP, Alexander Stafford,  help reinforce this message. Year 6 pupils visit the Houses of Parliament and are taught how the rule of law is fundamental to our society.
• Individual Liberty:
  At St. Mary’s Primary School pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons. St. Mary’s pupils are given the freedom to make choices in a variety of ways. For example, of participation in our range of extra-curricular clubs and what food option they would like for lunch every day.  We promote the children making the right choices throughout the day in order to be kind and look after one another.  At St. Mary’s we aim to develop children’s character and self-esteem to give them the confidence to make good choices.
• Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:
  Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around key values such as ‘Respect’ and “Consideration”. The use of weekly assemblies based on a weekly theme enable pupils to contribute to discussions and explore what this means and how it is shown. Mutual respect is modelled by the staff’s own conduct and is reiterated through our classroom and learning rules, as well as our behaviour policy. At St. Mary's we aim to increase  pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. We learn about different faiths and beliefs in our RE lessons and members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within the school.