What are British Values?

Fundamental British Values underpin what it is to be a citizen in a modern and diverse Great Britain valuing our community and celebrating diversity of the UK.

At Byker Primary School, we develop and promote British Values throughout our school and within our curriculum.

A key part of our school vision and curriculum is to ensure children become valuable and fully rounded members of society who treat others with respect, and leave school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

British Values are:

• The Rule of Law
• Democracy
• Individual Liberty
• Mutual Respect
• Tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs

To do this our children will develop:

• An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
• An understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law.
• An acceptance that people having different faiths and beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of discriminatory behaviour.
• An understanding of the importance or identifying and combating discrimination.

As a school, we value and celebrate the diverse heritages of everybody within our community and value and celebrate being part of Britain. In general terms, this means that we celebrate traditions and customs over the year; for example, Christmas Carol singing and Easter egg designs. We also value and celebrate national events such as Chinese New Year, Ant-Bullying Week and Safer Internet Day.

Democracy

Children, parents and staff have many opportunities for their voices to be heard at our school; democracy is central to how we operate. We have a School Council where members are elected by their peers. Made up of one representative from each class, the School Council meets regularly to discuss issues raised by the different classes. The Council are actively involved in providing teachers with feedback about their school. Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.

Parents’ opinions are welcomed at Byker Primary through methods such as questionnaires, surveys and discussions at parents’ evenings and opportunities to comment on whole school matters. Senior staff are always on the yard at the start and end of each day if parents wish to speak to them about any matters.

 The Rule of Law

The importance of rules and laws, whether they be those that govern our school or our country, are referred to and reinforced often, such as in assemblies and when reflecting on behaviour choices. At the start of each term, each class discusses the school rules and behaviour system in place. This ensures that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment. This is linked to teaching about children’s human rights, in particular the UNICEF rights of the child.

Individual Liberty

Alongside rules and laws, we promote freedom of choice and the right to respectfully express views and beliefs. Through the provision of a safe, supportive environment, we provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely.  

Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are taught how to exercise these safely, such as in our PSHE lessons. We use additional resources such as THRIVE and counselling services to support teaching where needed. We spend time supporting our children to manage and understand emotions in order to motivate and equipped them to:

• Be effective and successful learners.
• Make and sustain friendships.
• Deal with and resolve conflict evenly and fairly.
• Solve problems with others by themselves.
• Manage strong feelings such as frustration, anger or anxiety.
• Be able to promote calm and optimistic states that promote the achievement of goals.
• Recover from setbacks and persist in the face of difficulties.
• Work and play cooperatively.
• Compete fairly and win or lose with dignity and respect for all competitors.
• Recognise and stand up for their rights and the rights of others.
• Understand the value the differences and commonalities between people, respecting the rights of others to have beliefs and values different to their own.
• To respect and value our world, and the things, both material and alive that exist within it.

Children in Year 5 and Year 6 are given key roles and responsibilities such as Play Ground Buddies.

Mutual Respect

We have high expectations of achievement and behaviour. In 2023 we developed and introduced a whole school approach to behaviour to support children manage their action in a way as to not impact on the learning and safety of others.  Children and staff are polite and kind.

We listen and respect each other. We teach the children that conflict will be dealt with calmly and fairly. All members of the school family are valued equally. We celebrate each other’s achievements whether that be in or out of school through class discussions and our weekly Celebration Assemblies.

Tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs

Byker Primary School are proud to promote and celebrate our different backgrounds and beliefs. Tolerance, politeness and mutual respect are at the heart of our aims, ethos and RSE Curriculum.

Our aim to 'prepare children for their future' drives us towards ensuring that our pupils are able to live and work alongside people from all backgrounds and cultures.

Our pupils know and understand that respect is shown to everyone and to everything, whatever differences we may have. Children learn that their behaviour choices have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community are encouraged to treat each other with respect.