As a Church of England School, our Christian values are closely linked to the British values defined by the government as;

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual Respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

We believe that it is the role of everyone in the school community to nurture and to develop the ‘whole child’, by helping our pupils to thrive academically, physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually and to enable them to achieve their full potential. In keeping with our Christian ethos, we foster respect for individuals and their differences, together with responsibility for our surroundings and ourselves.

Democracy

Democracy is integrated within our school with children taught about fairness, listening to others and about making choices. Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard through pupil voice and pupil questionnaires and surveys. The School Council meets regularly and takes part in decision making on a range of topics. They regularly seek out ideas and opinions from their peers. Members of the School Council are voted for by their class and the School Council has a representative from Foundation Stage upwards.

Staff are also involved democratically in many policy decisions and consulted with in a fair manner.

The Rule of Law

All staff members have high expectations of the children in our school as do our parents, who sign a home-school agreement accepting the education of our children is a shared responsibility. The importance of laws and rules are consistently reinforced in the classroom, as well as through school assemblies and collective worship. Pupils are taught to understand the need for laws, which are there for individual protection, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Children and staff follow the behaviour policy and clearly understand the rewards and sanctions that are used. Through our Christian values of responsibility, courage and honesty, children are expected and encouraged to develop self-discipline and to own up and apologise when they get something wrong.

Assemblies and discussions in class focus on recognising right from wrong. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service as well as Hazard Alley Safety Centre; are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message. Individual class rules are displayed and understood by all adults and children. Through discussions in RE children learn that other religions have their own guiding principles which are upheld within the laws of the land.

Through our school values and the Christian texts that underpin them, children are taught about responsibility, respect, courage, honesty, kindness and forgiveness and are supported to they think about how to behave and act both in school and in the wider world.

Individual Liberty

Within school, children are actively encouraged to make choices as independent learners, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. They are given the freedom to make choices, for example, through choice of challenge or how to record during lesson time or by choosing to participate in extra-curricular clubs.

Children are encouraged to understand their personal freedoms and are taught how to do so safely, for example through E-safety, PSHE and RE. We support fundraising efforts to aid countries where children are not receiving their full entitlement to rights through poverty.

Mutual Respect

Our core values of respect and kindness permeate all areas of school life. Children are taught what respect means and the wider context of this: respecting themselves, family and friends, other people with different opinions/beliefs, the environment and the world. 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. All members of staff demonstrate respect and model and promote the behaviours and attitudes that are the foundation of positive relationships. Discussions in class and through collective worship allow children to show respect and kindness to all other individuals.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

At Bow Brickhill CE Primary we celebrate diversity. We are aware of the children in our school who have faith or no faith at all. Assemblies are regularly planned to encourage tolerance and respect for others either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Our RE planning ensures all year groups learn about other faiths and tolerance of differences, focusing on how this is similar to Christianity. Children learn about places of worship that are important to different faiths.

PSHE teaching reinforce this with discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying. Members of different faiths, religions or groups are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.