Birdsfoot Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 2DN

01582 591386

Warden Hill Junior School

Inspire, Believe, Achieve

British Values

At Warden Hill Junior School we firmly believe in the promotion of British values as an essential part of the work we do helping children to become happy, successful and valuable members of British society.

The promotion of British values through our curriculum builds upon the work we do in the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all our children. Specific aspects of the taught curriculum as well as our assembly programme and PSHE Education support this. These aspects of our work permeate all parts of school life.

From July 2015, the Department for Education (DfE) has given schools the statutory responsibility to promote British values as part of their work. The DfE has reiterated the need to “create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”

The definition of British values is established in the Prevent Strategy, published by the Government in 2011, and then revisited in 2014. The values identified are:

  • Democracy
  • The Rule of Law
  • Individual Liberty
  • Mutual Respect
  • Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Democracy

We have a School Council, which is elected from each class. Children have to stand for election and persuade their peers of their suitability to be good class representatives. These elections are held annually and the School Council meet on a regular basis.
House Captains are also elected by children, this time from across the school. House Captains are Year 6 children, who stand for election from house groups, made up of children from each year group. House Captains lead assemblies and help organise specific events. At Warden Hill, we believe the promotion of democratic values also lies within chances to allow children’s opinions and ideas to be heard. 

We have:

  • An annual pupil survey which is analysed and acted upon.
  • Classroom suggestion boxes, which feed into School Council meetings.
  • Individual Pupil Progress Meetings, allowing children individual time with their teachers to discuss issues.
  • A regular programme of SEAL, PSHE Education alongside Class Assemblies.
  • Giving children the opportunity to help develop school policy, e.g. the Anti-Bullying Policy

The curriculum also enables children to have the opportunity to be involved in current national events, such as the recent General Election, national celebrations (for example involving the Royal family, the Olympics and Sport and Remembrance Day)

 

The Rule of Law

Children have to learn right from wrong and to manage their own behaviour to be part of school and society. Our school has strong expectations in terms of behaviour and we regularly promote and celebrate good behaviour.

Every year, children are involved in creating their Class Charter, which helps them to understand how the law helps to keep us all safe in school and in wider society. Our School Behaviour Plan and Golden Rules reinforce this concept and are regularly referred to in individual classes and across the school. The school’s strong moral code helps children to develop good concepts of right and wrong and to take responsibility for their own actions.

At Warden Hill Junior School this work is underpinned by the school’s Safeguarding Policy where we expect all staff, volunteers, parents and visitors to promote the safety and well-being of children. We have regular visits by the Police Service and Road Safety Teams to help reinforce the concept of rules and the law in wider society.

 

Individual Liberty

Our school seeks to know and be interested in every child, and to put them at the centre of all we do. This helps children to feel secure and valued members of the school society which will help them become responsible British citizens. The ethos of the school helps children learn to make sensible and appropriate choices which develop as they mature.

Our curriculum helps children learn at an appropriate rate and stage for both individuals and groups of children. Pupils are frequently given choices in relation to their own learning and outcomes. In our PSHE Education curriculum children learn about making healthy and sensible life choices. This is also supported through other curriculum work in RE as well as in our Online Safety curriculum.

At Warden Hill Junior School, individual liberty sits within the framework of being part of the wider community, where we all have responsibilities to one another. Our children learn about helping others in a kind and caring environment so they carry these qualities forward into adult life. Children across the school are involved in supporting a range of charities, both local and national such as Macmillan Cancer Relief, the NSPCC, Children in Need and locally through our work with Keech Hospice, Trefoil Care Home, local Food Banks and our Harvest collections and donations.

The curriculum also enables the children to learn about the protection and value of liberty, such as our History work on World War Two, assemblies on the Holocaust and RE work on inspirational leaders including Martin Luther King.

 

Mutual Respect

At Warden Hill Junior School mutual respect is a key part of the way our school functions. It is the second of our Golden Rules “ always treat everyone with kindness and respect”. Our Behaviour Plan, which is displayed across the school, is followed by all members of the school community, and adults are expected to model this behaviour.

The school celebrates the value and worth of every child through regular assemblies where children’s achievements are recognised: academic, sporting and personal. Children and adults are awarded certificates in assemblies for personal achievements and our Golden Book Assemblies celebrate the personal qualities we promote as a school. Achievements in Golden Book Assemblies are also shared with parents.

Within our school we operate a house system, whereby children from across the school are divided into four mixed age group houses (Jupiter, Mercury, Neptune and Saturn). These houses are regularly involved in house activities, challenges and events where children can develop good sporting behaviours and learn to recognise and value the achievements of others. Houses also compete in the on-going house point competition where awards and certificates are presented by elected House Captains.

In the curriculum we also work hard to develop children’s mutual respect for one another through work on Anti- Bullying, SEAL and RE.

Tolerance

One of the great strengths of our school, and our town, is its happy mix of children and adults from a range of cultures, ethnicities and faiths. Our school recognises and values every one of its members, regardless of their ability, gender, faith, heritage, sexuality, disability, social or economic status. This is great preparation for life in modern Britain.

Our RE curriculum enables children to learn about different world faiths in accordance with the Bedfordshire and Luton Agreed Syllabus and this is supported by a range of visits to places of worship. We also celebrate significant faith events in assemblies. Children across the school learn about British culture through, for example, curriculum work on the Romans, the Victorians and World War Two. We also enjoy a wide range of trips and visits throughout the school to supplement this, such as theatre and museum visits and our strong music curriculum.

We are very proud that our school has played a part in the Luton in Harmony scheme, and we are twinned with a local school which has a very different intake from ours. This enables children to learn about respecting others in a very positive and real way. We also hold an International Schools Silver Award for our links with schools in France and Kenya.

To download a copy of this statement please click here. Also available is a copy of the NSPCC PREVENT Article.