British Values

In 2011, the government defined British Values as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.  We promote these values through our own school values, curriculum and enrichment activities.

Democracy

Links to school values:

Respect

Truthfulness

Trust

Perseverance 

Debating is central to many aspects of our curriculum with pupils developing skills in listening, responding and offering opinions in a well organised and respectful manner. Pupils understand that people hold different views, opinions and beliefs which may not be fully understood but will be tolerated and respected.

“Pupils have a strong voice in the school” (SIAMS June 2015) with many opportunities to join groups as representatives of their class and school. Pupils are elected democratically by their peers who identify the skills required to represent them most successfully.

Groups meet regularly with clearly focussed agendas where pupils learn that they can influence future developments in their ‘specialist’ areas.

Pupil Parliament: Begin their ‘election campaign’ by submitting a formal application for all ‘official’ roles (e.g. Education, Behaviour, Outdoor Learning, Online Safety, P.E., Sunshine) which are shortlisted and appointed by a KS2 pupil vote. Presentations are given by those applying for ‘Prime Minister’ and Deputy Prime Minister. These are reviewed by KS2 pupils who vote for the candidate they feel will represent them to the best of their ability.

Sunshine group: Our Vision and Values group  plan/ lead worship and secure developments within aspects related to our church school identity.

Eco Committee: work towards relevant environmental issues. They have recently promoted recycling and also have organised our school to be 'plastic straw fee zone'!

Playground mediators: Support playtime behaviours and help our youngest children become integrated into school life.

Playleaders: Plan and deliver a varied programme of play activities at lunchtimes.

Year 4 and 5 pupils also take on other key roles in school such as ‘Assembly Angels’, lunchtime ‘table leaders’, ICT ‘technicians’, fruit and milk delivery and resource managers in classrooms. 

All groups contribute significantly to school developments and are so keen and confident that they take the leading roles, with adults offering support and guidance.

Pupils within our Early Years also learn about democracy in a developmentally appropriate way e.g. through voting for resources, activities, stories and ‘good choice rewards’.

We regularly self-evaluate and seek the views of our parents and pupils on a range of issues. Parents are asked their opinions on learning, safeguarding, leadership and whether their child enjoys school.

The Rule of Law

Links to school values:

Respect

Service

Trust

Forgiveness

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, school or country are consistently reinforced at Harvington.

Pupils are taught from an early age the vision and values of the school. Pupils are taught the reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.

Our six ‘Core Values’: Truthfulness, Friendship, Respect, Forgiveness, Trust and Perseverance encompass our expectations which enable our community to develop as responsible and pleasant citizens.

Pupils learn that breaking the laws of the class or school has negative consequences. They also learn that following rules and behaving well and with respect for others is rewarded through numerous systems such as praise, merits, awards, values stickers, certificates, good choice rewards/ golden time. Pupils have many opportunities to reflect on their behaviours and actions.

There are also much sought after whole school awards such as the Harvington Pig (for perseverance) Harvey Hedgehog (for trust), the Monkey (for truthfulness), the Lion for respect, the Fox for friendship and the Teddy (for forgiveness). We also have a Reflection Rabbit (for contributing thoughtfully in our collective worship and the RE waistcoat (for excellent work in RE)

Pupils learn that forgiveness and support to make amends are always available where others have been hurt or upset and our close working relationships with families enable our exclusions to be reduced to a minimum. We have regular visits from our local community police officers and health services as well as many community visitors who reinforce these messages.

Individual Liberty

Links to school values:

Respect

Trust

Friendship

At Harvington, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. Our children understand that they have rights and freedoms as a member of Modern Britain.

From the moment pupils arrive in the Foundation Stage, and throughout their school journey, pupils develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes independence and confidence to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education.

Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to do this safely, for example through our work in PSHE, circle times, class discussions and Online Safety days.

Harvington has a robust anti-bullying culture (pupils define it as a ‘telling school’) and clear, consistently enforced behaviour policies in place.

In the Early Years and Key Stage One pupils aim to become ‘Independent Learners’ gaining a badge when they successfully complete their class targets. In Key Stage Two pupils build on these independence skills to become ‘Outstanding Learners’ and receive an award for their commitment. Older pupils are expected to model appropriate behaviours to younger pupils and support their growth within Harvington expectations. Within their key roles they have many opportunities to share what they have learned about ‘right’ and ‘wrong’.

Forest School, sporting events, cluster/ county events and clubs all support pupils to become confident, thoughtful members of our community.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs

Links to school values:

Respect

Friendship

Mutual respect and empathy lie at the heart of our Values. Our vision 'together we love, learn and grow' is what we strive to achieve in every aspect of our school life. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect.

Our pupils understand that there are many faiths represented in modern Britain and an increasing amount in our community too. We learn about the major world faiths in line with the requirements of the Worcestershire SACRE to foster an understanding and acceptance of the beliefs of others.

Our SIAMS report (June 2015) commented “Through the rich and varied curriculum, strong links are made with the school’s Christian values, with the result that RE has a significant impact on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all pupils at the school.”

Harvington provides annual opportunities for the children to visit places of significant cultural interest and places of worship and we also regularly welcome visitors from a range of communities and traditions into our school. Our theme based curriculum enables our values and commitments to be threaded throughout pupils’ learning experiences in a holistic manner so that learning becomes contextualised.

Through our commitment to developing these values in our pupils we are supporting them to:

• Understand how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process.
• Appreciate that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety.
• Understand that the freedom to choose or hold different faiths and beliefs is protected in law.
• Accept that other people having different faiths or beliefs to themselves (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
• Understand the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.
• Develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence.
• Know right from wrong and respect the civil and criminal law of England.
• Accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely.
• Acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England.
• Further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by acquiring an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures.
• Show respect for other people.
• Show respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.

Some of the opportunities which we use to heighten the whole school focus on different aspects of SMSC and British Values:

• Harvest Festival.
• Interfaith day.
• Economic awareness (KS2).
• Introduction of our school charity.
• Remembrance service.
• Advent service.
• Children in Need.
• EYFS 'together days'
• Languages day.
• Operation Christmas child.
• Advent service.
• Christmas party and production.
• Anti bullying day 
• Ash Wednesday service.
• Y5 residential.
• World book day.
• Multi-cultural day.
• Easter service.
• Cluster forest school.
• School picnic.
• Cameo teas,
• Sports Day.
• KS2 Show.