The Department for Education set out its definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and then in November 2014 published guidance on promoting British values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. All schools have a duty to ‘actively 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 and for those that don’t follow a faith.

 At Meryfield, these values underpin the school’s ethos and are embedded within the everyday life and work of the school.

Democracy:

All pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our School Council, our House system, pupil questionnaires and pupil conferencing. All pupils also have the opportunity to discuss their learning with both their teachers and agree together the next steps in their learning. Oracy is a focus across the whole school, reinforcing pupils’ right to have their views Fairness is talked about in class assemblies, PE, PSHE and is reiterated throughout the curriculum and the school day.

The Rule of Law T

The importance of Laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country, is consistently reinforced within relevant curriculum areas as well as in assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they keep us safe and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws or rules are broken. The school has regular visits from our local PCSOs and fire service which help to reinforce the message.

Individual Liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make appropriate choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and guide pupils in making safe choices for example through our PSHE lessons and e-Safety. The school also follows the ‘learning without limits’ philosophy where pupils are able to choose the challenge activity that they feel will best support their learning. The school’s homework policy also supports this by offering pupils a choice of tasks.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance

Mutual respect and empathy for others is at the centre of our ethos and Behaviour Policy and is a core value that features regularly in class discussions, classroom and learning rules and assemblies.  Meryfield is proud of its diverse community and is passionate about providing equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender, disability or race. The school has a zero tolerance of racism and prejudice of any kind and this is reinforced throughout RE, PSHE and assemblies. Pupils and families of differing religions, faiths or cultures are encouraged to share their knowledge and experiences within classes and the school. This mutual respect aligns with the school’s commitment to helping its pupils to understand the wider world around them and make the global connections between issues such as poverty or climate change and their own lives. This is taught through links with charities, the Geography curriculum as well as an in-house focus on sustainability so we meet the criteria for the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy

Here is a more detailed list of the activities in school which promote British Values: