Boynton Primary School

From Little Acorns, Mighty Oaks Grow

British Values

Boynton Primary School is committed to serving its community and surrounding areas. We recognise the multi-cultural,multi-faith nature of the United Kingdom and understand the crucial role our school plays in promoting these values. 

We encourage admissions from all those entitled to an education under British law regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status. We are a school for all.

Staff and Governors at Boynton Primary School understand the responsibility they have to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils and of society.  This extends to promoting mental and physical well-being. Through ensuring pupils’ SMSC development, the school demonstrates its active promotion of fundamental British values.

These values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE), and Religious Education (RE). We also teach British Values through planning an delivering a broad and balanced curriculum. The school takes opportunities to actively promote British Values through our assemblies and whole school systems and structures such as electing and running a successful School Council. We also actively promote the British Values through ensuring our curriculum planning and delivery includes real opportunities for exploring these values. 

Fundamental British values are known to be;

                        i.      democracy,

                       ii.      the rule of law,

                      iii.      individual liberty,

                     iv.      mutual respect,

                      v.      tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Democracy
Democracy is an important value at our school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our School Council, class discussion and pupil questionnaires. The elections of members of the School Council are based on pupil votes. The children have an agreed set of codes which we at Boynton Primary School actively work and learn by. Our behaviour system and Class Rules are displayed in each classroom and are actively used to influence, reward and acknowledge others' behaviour. 

The Rule of Law
The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced through the school day. Our behaviour system and Class Rules are aligned to an agreed set of rules, standards and expectations. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws and rules, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws/rules are broken. Visits from authorities such as the police, PCSOs and fire service are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message. 

Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment, a planned curriculum and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely. This includes our e-safety teaching and PSHE lessons. Pupils are given the freedom to make choices e.g. signing up for extra-curricular clubs and choosing a level of challenge in some lessons. The aims, ethos and vision statement are embodied in all that we do in our school. 

Mutual Respect
Respect  can be seen as part of the ethos of our school. The pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have. The value of respect at Boynton Primary School underpins our work every day both in and out of the classroom. Children and adults alike, including visitors, are challenged if they are disrespectful in any way. Values are highly visible around the school and can be seen in pupil work, posters, rewards and as part of our behaviours. School leaders promote mutual respect between pupils from different school phases. We regularly welcome a variety of charities and organisations to support and learn from the work that they do.

Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs
This is achieved through enhancing pupils' understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity in our local community. Assemblies and visitors and discussions involving prejudices and prejudiced-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE through a broad and balanced curriculum covering a range of faiths, cultures and religions. Each year we celebrate different festivals and cultures encouraging children to research and discover differences and similarities between us and other countries. We use opportunities such as the Olympics, World Cup and other international events to study and learn about life and culture in countries who participate.