As required by the Education Act (2002, section 78), the Teachers’ Standards (2011) and the Equalities Act (2010), The Rosary Catholic Primary School takes every opportunity to actively promote British values through our curriculum, enrichment opportunities, assemblies and wider celebrations. We recognise that in actively promoting these values, it is necessary to challenge pupils, staff and parents who could potentially express opinions contrary to these fundamental British values. This may include ‘extremist’ views; if this is the case, the Rosary will work within a multi-agency model and will follow the guidance and actions as outlined in our policy.

Democracy

Pupils are aware of the term ‘democracy’ and recognise that they have the ability to voice their opinions. Communication is a key skill which permeates the curriculum; pupils are able to share their views, listen and support others or constructively challenge others in their views. Pupils recognise democracy at work in our own school when they have the opportunity to elect school council representatives. The school council meet regularly to discuss issues of concern to pupils which have been raised in class council meetings. The School council have had the opportunity to meet with councillors, visit the Council House and recently the Houses of Parliament. They have planned and led assemblies to share their experiences with the whole school. On a national scale, pupils are aware that the Prime Minister is democratically elected every e.g. four years. Activities are planned on a regular basis to develop pupils knowledge and understanding e.g. when both local, regional and nationally important events take place such as the general election. Each class decides on the rules that are appropriate for their class at the start of the year. They decide on their own  rewards system which in the past have included a trip to Blackpool beach. Playground and School rules have been decided by the school council in consultation with individual classes. Rules are upheld by all staff at the Rosary School and the School’s guidelines are followed by everyone. The whole school house point system teaches the children about working as a collective group for rewards and has had a positive impact on behaviour and learning. Parents are active participants and support the school to maintain high standards

The Rule of Law

Pupils at the Rosary School are taught to recognise that there are laws in the UK which they are expected to follow and that there are consequences for breaking the law. Through our PSHE, SMSC and Citizenship  provision, pupils are given the opportunity to explore the benefits of living in a law-abiding society and debate what life would be like if there were no laws. They recognise that laws both govern and protect us as citizens. Pupils have been introduced to the term ‘individual liberty’ and understand it to mean having rights which they are able to exercise. They value these rights and acknowledge that they also include the right to say ‘no’ to any activities or ideas that they object to or think are wrong. Pupils understand that they need to be good citizens and develop their independence as well as their skills of co-operation and mutual support of others. Throughout the year pupils are engaged in making charitable contributions to a range of causes, including Father Hudson’s, Mission Together, CPSS Rwanda Project, MacMillan Cancer Research, and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. This allows our pupils to recognise that they can make a positive contribution and helps them to value the rights that they have.

Individual Liberty

The aims of the curriculum include teaching the children how to make an informed choice. In the EYFS curriculum opportunities are planned to enable children to choose activities which engage and support their leaning. This continues throughout the school until pupils in phase 3 are making choices about appropriate challenge in lessons to ensure they reach their potential. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, such as through our e-safety teaching.  The  ethos of the school allied to our work in RE and PSHE/SMSC/Citizenship  ensure that all pupils develop their self-esteem and self-confidence; recognise right from wrong; recognise the laws of the land and uphold them within the community and encourage respect and tolerance for all.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance

Pupils are taught about different faiths and cultures through the curriculum and the annual Interfaith activities. Links are made between different religions and cover themes such as beliefs, practices and tolerance/respect. Assemblies are used to explore the many varied roles that people play within society with organisations such as the Fire Service, Police and Childline invited to speak to the children about the importance of the work they carry out. Pupils are given insights into the importance of the Equalities Act and recognise that discrimination in any form is not acceptable. Our curriculum is designed to develop cultural appreciation, including many aspects of British heritage such as our art and music, as well as taking into account the cultural heritage of our pupils’ families. We provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to have experiences outside of the classroom and have built these into the curriculum, such as visits to places of worship in Birmingham, Safeside Fire Service Centre, a local farm as well as London and outdoor pursuit centres in Shropshire.