British Values at St. Wulstan's
Our British Values Assembly, Spring 2024
The Department for Education has recently reinforced the need "to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs."
As a Catholic school, St. Wulstan’s actively promotes Gospel values, and believes that these and British values are mutually supportive.
We reinforce British Values regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy
Links to UN CRC Article 12: Children have the right to say what they think should happen, when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account.
All adults listen to the views of the children and value their opinions. The school is clear in demonstrating how children should contribute and co-operate and consider the views and needs of others. The School Council, whose members are elected by their peers following an election build up, meets regularly and takes part in decision making on a range of topics. We encourage volunteerism in and out of school. This includes things like Playground Pals, Anti Bullying Ambassadors, Caritas Ambassadors, the GIFT team, prefects, Reading Ambassadors, Bistro Buddies, Junior Leadership Team, and also raising money for local and national charities.
The children have further opportunities to have their voices heard through our pupil voice interviews and surveys. Our Junior Leadership Team also contribute to the school improvement plan, reflecting the views of the children and meet monthly with the Headteacher. Our Parent Voice forum and parental questionnaires allow our community to have a say. Where it fits, lessons are taught where the children’s views are taken into account. Restorative justice is used to sort out any problems between children. Children discuss a suitable solution that fits all parties. The children are given the opportunity to vote for a reward of their choice when 500 Lunchtime Links have been achieved as well as the winning House of the Term voting for their reward choice.
The Rule of Law
Links to UN CRC Article 19: Governments should ensure that children are properly cared for, and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents, or anyone else who looks after them.
At St. Wulstan’s we have a positive behaviour for learning policy. Staff consistently reinforce high expectations of pupils and the children are reminded of the importance of rules in the classroom, as well as in school assemblies. There are rewards for exhibiting good and caring behaviour and consistent demonstration of our school virtues is recognised through such things as ‘Star of the Week’ award and special mentions. Weekly awards are also given to children displaying our school values and virtues. They clearly understand the rewards and sanctions that are used. Pupils are taught to understand the need for laws - that they are there for individual protection, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the police community support officers help reinforce this message.
Assemblies and discussions in class focus on recognising right from wrong. Through our school assemblies, PSHE and theme days, children are taught how to earn trust and respect and are supported to develop a strong sense of morality; knowing right from wrong and doing the right thing even when it’s difficult. Assemblies are delivered with a focus on the law e.g. Safety Awareness and Online Safety awareness. In PE lessons, children are taught to accept the decisions of the referees, learn about fair play, the laws of the games and understanding the spirit of the games and how they are played. We have rules governing computer usage and website rules.
Individual Liberty
Links to UN CRC Article 31: All children have a right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of activities.
Links to UN CRC Article 15: Children have the right to meet together and to join groups and organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights.
The children are encouraged to be independent learners, constantly making choices, within a safe and supportive environment. They are encouraged to express their views, and teaching and learning incorporates their preferences and interests They are helped to understand their personal freedoms and are taught how to use these rights to best effect. They are provided with opportunities to learn about what makes a good choice, while Online Safety teaching enables them to make choices in a safe manner. Whether it be through choice of challenge, of how they record, of participation in extracurricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. Our curriculum covers lessons in which it is discussed how important people sacrificed themselves to ensure we get the freedom we have today. We look at other cultures and compare our own cultures and discuss ways in which we can help so that they can have the same individual liberties we have. Lessons explore children’s opinions and their opinions are taken into account. Children can express themselves in art, singing and drama.
Our Reconciliation programme develops the children’s ability to take responsibility for the choices they make. Children take part in an annual Anti-Bullying focus week/ assemblies and workshops. Our residential trips and school visits promote pupils to make choices in a safe environment.
Mutual Respect
Links to UN CRC Article 2: The Convention applies to everyone whatever their race, religion, abilities, whatever they think or say and whatever type of family they come from.
Links to UN CRC Article 30: Children have a right to learn and use the language and customs of their families, whether these are shared by the majority of people in the country or not.
At the heart of our Gospel teachings is Jesus’ commandment:
‘To love one another as I have loved you’.
All pupils are taught the importance of self-respect, honest and open communication with others and fair play. Pupils work collaboratively and value others’ opinions.
At St. Wulstan’s, our Christian values of respect and tolerance permeate all areas of school life. Our school ethos encourages everyone to consider and support each other and to celebrate the worth and individuality of every member of the school community. This engenders a climate within which the children feel safe and secure and facilitates the fulfilment of potential. All staff demonstrate respect to everyone with whom they come into contact. They consistently model and promote the behaviours and attitudes that are the foundation of positive relationships.
Assemblies and class work promote the diversity of society and the right for each person to be respected and valued equally regardless of ability, gender, faith, heritage or race. Our school and playtime rules reiterate our mutual respect for others. Use of talk partners, working in pairs and groups, sharing resources, team work, respecting the opposition in PE as well as learning to be good winners and good losers ensure that mutual respect is evident at all levels of our daily work.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Links to UN CRC Article 14: Children have the right to think and believe what they want, and to practise their religion, as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. Parents should guide their children on these matters.
The school’s curriculum aims to develop understanding of the world and the children are reminded of their place in a culturally diverse society. The RE and PSHE schemes of work provide opportunities for pupils to develop tolerance of and empathy towards those from different faiths and beliefs. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying are followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. We use whole school knowledge assemblies as a chance to introduce the children to a range of different celebrations and religious festivals e.g. Chinese New Year, Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Eid etc. At St. Wulstan's, we take part in annual Poppy Day commemorations where children have made or can purchase poppies and a minute’s silence is held in special assemblies for the school. On a more general level, the school undertakes daily collective worship/circle times which uphold traditional values of empathy, respect and tolerance. These are also taught within formal PSHE and RE lessons and on an informal nature throughout the school days. Picture News is used fortnightly to provide opportunities for children to learn from our world and develop respect for other’s beliefs, feelings and faiths. We encourage exploration, discussion, challenge and inspire children to learn.
Actively promoting these values, which are also integral to many other countries throughout the world, means challenging pupils, staff or parents/carers who express opinions contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views.
School has the duty to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. Being drawn into terrorism includes not just violent extremism but also non-violent extremism, which can create an atmosphere conducive to terrorism and can popularise views which terrorists exploit. Schools must be safe spaces in which children and young people can understand and discuss sensitive topics, including terrorism and the extremist ideas that are part of terrorist ideology, and learn how to challenge these ideas.
We, as a school, need to be mindful of our existing duties to forbid political indoctrination and secure a balanced presentation of political issues. These duties are imposed on maintained schools by sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996.
We offer a broad and balanced curriculum that has a local, national and international dimension
We follow the Salford Diocesan Syllabus for Religious Education that has a multi- faith element ( Come and See). We work to ensure that our resources do not promote stereotypes and celebrate diversity. We invite other members of other faith groups in to our school, watch educational films and talk to children which help challenge any negative stereotypes. We invite children to pray with us or to sit respectfully and to listen as we pray together. Parents of children who are not catholic have the right to withdraw their children from RE lessons or acts of worship/ Parents and the community are invited to worship with us. Visits are made by local religious leaders and children have the opportunity to visit places of worship. Children are taught about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and learn to respect their rights and the rights of others.
Click here to read our British Values Policy.
Click here for Gospel and British Values at St. Wulstan's
Prevent Strategy
Prevent is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming drawn into or supporting terrorist or extremist causes. Many of the things we do in school to help pupils become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy.
The Preventing Radicalisation and Extremism Policy is one element within our overall school arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children.
Radicalising content
If you are concerned that any family member, friend or loved one is being radicalised, you can call the police or 101 to get advice or make a Prevent referral, so that they can get safeguarding support. Support is tailored to the individual’s needs and works in a similar way to safeguarding processes designed to protect people from gangs, drug abuse and physical and sexual exploitation. Receiving support through Prevent is voluntary, confidential and not any form of criminal sanction. If you need further help, you can also contact your local authority safeguarding team.
Educate Against Hate Parents’ Hub provides resources and government advice for parents and carers on keeping young people safe from extremism, including online.
Although rare, online activity and feelings of stress and isolation may be exploited by online groomers to target vulnerable children and young people – including extremist influences seeking to radicalise vulnerable people. Extremists promote hateful views, for example through conspiracy theories blaming a particular group for the coronavirus, or through spreading misinformation about these groups’ responses to it. Issues including Black Lives Matter, and prior to this Brexit, are also being manipulated by extremists to suit their own agendas.
Online exploitation is often hard to recognise. Sometimes there are clear warning signs; in other cases the changes are less obvious. Although some of these traits may be quite common among teenagers, taken together they could indicate that your child may need help. The Educate Against Hate website lists some of these signs.
Our schools are committed to educating against hate and our core Tudor values of Tolerance, Unity, Democracy, Opportunity and Respect, attest to this. Please support us by doing the same. The educate against hate website has further information for parents and carers.
Any member of the public can report terrorist content they find online through the GOV.UK referral tool. More information about what to report and what happens when you make a report can be found on the Action Counters Terrorism campaign.
Click here to read information about PREVENT.
Click here for our PREVENT policy.