School Ethos and British Values

 

Bond Primary School

• offers an attractive and stimulating environment for teaching, learning and play, and is well organised, staffed and managed to support our children to achieve to their full potential.

• encourages children to develop as confident and independent learners who are able to learn

  well with and from others, who enjoy challenge and respond with enthusiasm to

  constructive advice.

• encourages children to be resilient and able to recognise that success comes through effort,

  practice and perseverance.

• is inclusive, with high aspirations and ambition for all pupils and enables each and every

  pupil to make the very best progress and achieve the very best results they are capable of.

• recognises and celebrates success in all its many forms.

• works in partnership with parents and carers to achieve the best possible outcomes for their

  child.

 

One of the most effective ways to encourage children to learn, behave well, respect and appreciate others and to aim for the highest academic standards for themselves is through praise, positive feedback and celebration of their successes. With this in mind, we hold weekly Celebration Assemblies every Thursday. Each teacher nominates one child / children who have made an outstanding achievement, in either academic or social terms and they receive a prize. Children are also rewarded for having the best ‘Learning Log of the Week’ in their class – in the older classes the children are nominated by their peers for this award. We are also a ‘You Can Do It school! Children are given certificates for displaying ‘Confidence’, ‘Persistence’, ‘Organisation’ and ‘Getting Along’ – these are all qualities which help to prepare them for their futures.

 

Promoting British Values

 

British values have been defined by the Department of Education (June 2014) as:

• Democracy

• The Rule of Law

• Individual Liberty

• Mutual respect

• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

 

At Bond Primary School these values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, and Health Education (PSHE) and through Religious Education. We also teach British Values implicitly through the whole of our broad and balanced curriculum, regular assemblies, and by means of our whole school systems and structures. The school ethos at Bond is one of mutual tolerance and respect – visitors to our school have commented on the “happy and harmonious” atmosphere and the “strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development” of our children. (Ofsted 2013)

 

Actively promoting British values also means challenging pupils, staff and parents to express their opinions openly and respectfully, to take part in our school celebrations and events and to comment on school life by means of feedback surveys and questionnaires.

 

Democracy

Our children experience at first hand the democratic process when they elect members of their class to represent them on the School Council. The Council meets on a weekly basis and the children discuss issues which are important to them and make recommendations about the running of the school. The Chair and Vice Chair of the School Council discuss the recommendations directly with the Headteacher. Each Class also elects its own eco- champion.

 

The Rule of Law

Every child is taught about our school rules and regularly reminded about them. Each class draws up its own list of rules at the start of each academic year in order to ensure that every child has the opportunity and support to learn to the best of their ability and to take full advantage of the rich curriculum that is on offer at Bond.

 

Individual Liberty and Mutual Respect

We take a whole school approach to SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education) as we recognise that it plays a significant role in children’s ability to learn and to achieve. We aim to provide an education that provides children with opportunities to explore and develop:

 

• Their own values and beliefs, and their own spiritual awareness
• Their own high standards of personal behaviour
• A positive, caring and respectful attitude towards children and adults
• An understanding of their social and cultural traditions
• An appreciation of the diversity and richness of their cultures

 

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

Bond is a multicultural school – members of our school community have their origins in different countries from all over the world and we speak many different languages. As a school we celebrate special festivals from many cultures and religions.

 

It is part of our school ethos to respect and understand other pupils’ faiths and beliefs. Friendships amongst our pupils are encouraged and develop regardless of colour, race, religion or beliefs because of the mutual respect and tolerance that is part of our school culture.