At Ridgeway Primary Academy we uphold and teach our children about British Values and support the current Ofsted guidance published in September 2014:

“ensure that they and the school promote tolerance of and respect for people of all faiths (or those of no faith), cultures and lifestyles; and support and help, through their words, actions and influence within the school and more widely in the community, to prepare children and young people positively for life in modern Britain”

British values have been defined by the government as:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

At Ridgeway our mission is to create a positive learning environment where everyone is valued, supported and encouraged to achieve their full potential in all areas of their lives. We reinforce British values regularly in the following ways:

Democracy

Democracy is embedded throughout our school.

• Our PSHE programme teaches children to listen carefully and show concern for each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.
• Our pupils are taught the importance of respecting themselves and others around them, their environment and property.
• Pupils have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council.
• Each Key Stage 2 class elects School Council representatives through a democratic process.
• Our robust behaviour policy, which includes both rewards and sanctions, places an emphasis on rewarding good behaviour and encouraging children to think carefully about their actions and the impact they have on those around them.
• Our school has an anti-bullying charter which the children wrote and agree annually.
• Children have an annual pupil questionnaire in which they are able to put forward their views about the school.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, is consistently reinforced through our curriculum, behaviour system and assemblies.

• At the start of each school year every class discusses the school rules and sets their own class rules within this framework. This helps to ensure the rules are clearly understood by all, and that every pupil is able to learn in a safe environment.
• We set high standards for the behaviour of our pupils both in school and during offsite trips and visits, and we consistently receive positive feedback from external visitors and places that our children visit.
• Our behaviour system teaches pupils that the wrong choices and rule-breaking have consequences, and rewards children who make good choices and follow the rules.
• Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service are included in our curriculum and help reinforce that laws of the land are in place to protect us.

Individual Liberty

At Ridgeway we provide opportunities for our pupils to make choices, within the boundaries of a safe environment and an empowering education.

• Our PSHE curriculum supports the development of self-awareness, self-esteem and self-confidence.
• Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example by embedding e-safety in our Computing curriculum.
• Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own behaviour, linking rights with responsibilities.
• We offer a range of extra-curricular activities which give pupils choices about how to extend their learning and development beyond the core curriculum.
• Pupils are also given the opportunity to be engaged in their learning by setting targets and self-assessment of their work.

Mutual Respect

Respect is one of the core values of our school.

• Pupils are taught our core values through religious education, assemblies, PSHE lessons and school rules.
• Additional support is provided for individual pupils with special educational needs through therapy, one-to-one support and group intervention.
• Our pupils are taught to respect the school environment and property, as well as respecting themselves and everyone else around them.
• We celebrate awards and achievements gained from both school and outside school activities during regular award assemblies.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

Ridgeway promotes understanding and tolerance towards people of all cultures and faiths.

• Our curriculum embraces teaching of other cultures, faiths and beliefs, and helps children to acquire an understanding of and respect for their own and other cultures and ways of life through geography, art, music, history and religious education.
• We have regular whole school acts of worship and regular visits from a range of external speakers including local churches and other religious groups.
• Our sporting activities promote an attitude of equality and fairness.
• Our school takes an interest in national and international news events and sometimes these are used as a stimulus for cross curricular work. We also enjoy celebrating events of special national and international significance, such as
• Remembrance Day, the Olympics, the World Cup, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and 90th Birthday.
• Children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.
• At Ridgeway we will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.