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British Values
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British values at The Forest School
The Forest School is committed to working closely and in harmony with its community and celebrating the diversity of the UK. We aim to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain and to ensure that our school ethos, curriculum and approaches to teaching and learning reflect and promote British values.
We recognise that these values are not exclusive to being British and that they have come to be accepted throughout the democratic world as the method of creating an orderly society in which individual members can feel safe, valued and can contribute to for the good of themselves and others.
We work alongside our local community and recognise the variety of religious beliefs within it. Pupils take part in local events and meet different members of the community to appreciate the valuable contributions they make. All subject departments are aware of the importance of transmitting British values through their curriculum content.
We take opportunities to:
- acknowledge, celebrate and commemorate national events and anniversaries related to key events in Britain’s past
- join in with international sporting events and find out more about the countries that host them
- support a number of charities that are selected by the pupils and arrange fundraising events
- invite members of the local community to our school events.
We understand the role that our school has in helping prevent radicalisation and supporting our pupils in developing a world view, recognising Britain’s place within it. The five British values are:
- Democracy
- The Rule of Law
- Individual Liberty
- Mutual Respect
- Tolerance Of Those With Different Faiths And Beliefs.
Below we include more details about how each British value is embedded in our school.
| British value | Statement | In practice |
| Democracy | Many of our school routines are built upon the concept of democracy. All pupils have opportunity as an individual, as a member of a tutor group and within subject departments, to influence decision making and to have a voice. They understand that they must use this voice responsibly. Pupils are regularly consulted both formally and informally about how their school might be improved. They see the example that is set with staff working cooperatively with each other to make the school the best it can be. | Pupils within the school have key roles and responsibilities and are democratically elected to take on roles within the pupil voice. They understand that they are accountable to the school community for the way in which they carry out these roles. Our Pupil Councils and Pupil Senior Leadership Team allow pupils to explore and understand the democratic process. How to work as a member of a team as well as team leadership are included in PSHE and in other subjects across the curriculum. In Citizenship pupils learn about the British electoral system, how it has developed and how it works. Regular consultations, formal and informal, take place throughout the school year. Pupils receive feedback and are made aware of any actions that are taken as a result. |
| The rule of law | Pupils in our school understand the need for rules to make ours a happy and secure environment. Our behaviour policy is shared and understood and this provides a basis on which we discuss other laws and rules and how they apply. Ground rules are established in all areas of the curriculum and pupils are encouraged to see the reasons for them. | Our school works closely with our community police officer. We set ground rules during PSHE classes where sensitive issues are discussed. IT lessons include discussion around data protection and our e-safety code of conduct. Each year, every tutor group discusses the school code of conduct and tutor group code of conduct with their tutor. Although some of these are set, others are not and pupils are encouraged to make their own contributions to the way in which the rules can be applied. School sanctions are clearly established and shared. Tutor group |
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| sanctions are discussed and agreed within the tutor group. In Citizenship pupils learn about the legal system in the UK. |
| Individual liberty | The rights of every student are at the centre of our ethos. However, pupils must also recognise the boundaries there must be too. Independent thinking and learning are encouraged and there are frequent opportunities for pupils to grow in maturity and independence as they move towards the next stage in their education. We place an emphasis on respecting difference and valuing creativity. | In both tutor time sessions and humanities lessons, such as History and Philosophy and Ethics, we learn about people from other cultures and religions who have influenced society. We also learn about historical events that have shaped our modern society, such as the Holocaust. Human rights is a topic included in our PSHE curriculum. In Citizenship we discuss what it means to ‘contribute to society’ and discuss what it means to be ‘free’. |
| Mutual respect | Respect is one of our school values. We recognise the importance of not only respecting one another but also of self-respect. We have a clear anti-bullying policy which emphasises the importance of us creating an environment both within school and the wider world in which individuals can feel safe and valued. Our welcome for visitors is part of the school ethos as is the focus on each student as an ‘ambassador’ when they are out in the community. Every individual is respected in our school and our actions towards one another reflect this. | Our PSHE curriculum includes topics on relationships and what a good relationship consists of. We have strong links with local feeder schools that enable our pupils to work with younger children on specific projects, such as Year 5 Technology days. Our extra-curricular clubs and enrichment activities focus on building self-esteem and self-respect. They also include team-building activities, such as at Lodge Hill, on Challenge Days, and the Green Power project. The staff code of conduct ensures that staff behave towards each other in an exemplary way, setting a good example for the pupils. The language used between staff and pupils at all times is considered to be vital in showing how we respect one another. |
| The tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs | We welcome difference and diversity and aim to create understanding of how this adds to the richness of our community. We aim to do more than ‘tolerate’ those with different faiths and beliefs. We recognise the extent to which our | Our Philosophy and Ethics curriculum which follows the Agreed Syllabus teaches about a range of faiths, religions and cultures. Pupils are familiar with the principles which different religions hold and explore the main world religions as outlined in the Agreed Syllabus. |
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| own traditions and history have developed side by side and the rich cultural heritage that different world religions bring. We believe that exploring and understanding other people’s faiths and beliefs are rewarding experiences and help us understand our own faiths and beliefs better. | We take the opportunity to find out more about different cultures we encounter through research and discussion. We encourage those in our school who hold different faiths and beliefs to share their experiences and provide us with insight. We run school trips abroad to find out about different cultures, such as the Berlin trip. |