Actively promotes means:
- To focus on, and show how, the school’s work is effective in securing these values
- Challenging pupils, staff or parents who express opinions contrary to British values
At Tywardreath school we whole-heartedly believe that children learn best when they are happy, feel safe and are engaged. We pride ourselves on nurturing every child and recognising them as an individual with special strengths and talents. We aim to give our pupils the confidence to speak out, to develop resilience and not give up!
We promote fundamental ‘British Values’ in relevant and meaningful ways. We expose our children to a range of current issues including political, religious, cultural, environmental, social, moral and spiritual through regular Picture News assemblies and PSHE lessons.
We allow our children to demonstrate respect and tolerance through our ethos and core values, the curriculum and our spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
What are the Key British Values and how do they fit with our school’s core values?
Children at Tywardreath School have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. Our children are often encouraged to discuss their viewpoints in lessons and to make decisions as a group, giving them additional choice and autonomy.
They experience democracy when electing our School Parliament Representatives. Our pupil-elected Parliament play a strong role in our school they meet and agree a focus for the half term this has included our schools response to fundraising events e.g. Children in Need, strategies for improving break times, raising awareness of National days e.g. Earth Day. The School Parliament meets regularly to discuss issues raised by pupils. Our Green Team members meet weekly and discuss how we can improve the school environment and how we can encourage others to respect our school and wider environment.Curriculum leaders meet with pupils as part of their monitoring. Pupil questionnaires and interviews are also conducted throughout the year. We know that the formation of the School Parliament and our Green Team and the active participation of our pupils will sow the seeds for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in the future.
The curriculum at Tywardreath allows pupils to explore democracy within whole class topics. From Reception, where children vote for their preferred continuous provision, to Year 3/4’s exploration of the industrial revolution, and exploring the question of ‘Who had the power? To Year 5 and 6’s exploration of Crime and Punishment and discovering who and what the significant people and events were that influenced the changes.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws is consistently reinforced throughout the school day.
Children are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. The rule of law is linked to our own school rules and are linked to our school's core values. We use praise and reward to promote positive consequences and have clear sanctions to encourage pupils to take ownership of their own behaviour to distinguish right from wrong.
All members of the school community sign our Acceptable Use Policy and pledge to use the internet safely.
Tywardreath School has good links with authorities such as the Police, coast guard service and Beach safety representatives who visit throughout the year and help to reinforce the Rule of Law and educate our children on ways to keep themselves safe. We believe that clear explanations and real-life stories emphasise the importance of the Rule of Law for our children.
Our PSHE curriculum ensures that the concept of actions and consequences is woven into learning across the school. Children explore this theme through whole school events, such as Stay Safe Week. Our Year 6’s topic, ‘Crime and Punishment’ focuses specifically on the development of the rule of law through history and provides opportunities for our pupils to discuss whether people were treated fairly
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment.
Tywardreath School children are given the freedom to make many choices based on their interests and passions. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for pupils to make choices, through provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. We support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand, and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to use these safely.
At our school it is everyone's responsibility to protect individual liberty. Individual liberty can be observed at Tywardreath through our individual class behaviour systems, school parliament, pupil voice ,Good to be Green Time and Anti-Bullying Week.
Our topics are carefully chosen to include debates about individual liberty, such as in Year 3 and 4 explore the question ‘Why do people live near Volcanoes’ and ‘Can we live anywhere?’ Year 5/6 ask ‘Does Alaska need saving?’ and seek to understand the ‘push/pull factors that cause people to move between urban living and the countryside.
Mutual Respect
Respect is at the heart of our ethos.
At Tywardreath mutual respect is underpinned by our core value of respect. Children learn that their behaviour has an impact on their rights and those of others. Children are encouraged to work in collaboration as much as possible either in their class, with other year groups, as mediators, as ambassadors and sometimes with other schools in sport.
All members of the school community treat each other with respect. We publish all our behaviour policies on the website and parents, pupils and staff sign a Home-School Agreement setting out our expectations. Assemblies on inspirational people reflect this ethos. We hold regular events where members of the school community are able to celebrate our diversity. We use vertical; groupings (e.g. World book day’ to encourage our older children to empathise with our younger children) We celebrate Mental health week, use ‘no outsiders’ resources and our assembly structure includes respect and tolerance focii. We have plotted high quality texts across all year groups that reflect protected characteristics to support tolerance and mutual respect.
Our guiding principles for our curriculum design places cultural diversity at its heart and we aim to broaden pupil’s views and understanding of the world by including culturally significant individuals in all subject areas.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Tywardreath is an inclusive school.
Within our school we constantly promote tolerance towards others from different backgrounds, cultures, languages, faiths and beliefs, preparing our children for life in modern Britain and contemporary society.
Our Religious Education syllabus, school assemblies, Personal, Social, Health and Emotional curriculum and wider school ethos reinforce our commitment towards a tolerant society. Major religions are studied and respected and we strongly believe that tolerance is gained through knowledge and understanding. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school through visitors and visiting places of worship where possible. At every opportunity, we explore the similarities between religions and cultures.
At Tywardreath, our curriculum and the routines of our daily school life help us strive to demonstrate tolerance and support children to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens who can build a better Britain for the future. We will actively challenge pupils, staff, parents or anyone in the school community expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including 'extremist' views.
Tolerance is evident at our school in various ways. Adults in our school consistently model tolerance of others through positive relationships, respectful interactions and a welcoming nature to all visitors. Children are taught about the cultural similarities and differences of people around the globe during topics specifically tailored to the study of other countries and communities, such as, ‘A land down under, ‘Does it rain in Kenya?’ and ‘Who lives in Rio?’.
Reading books that include the protective characteristics also supports building tolerance and understanding of others.