As a Catholic school we pride ourselves in reinforcing British Values with our children, to enable them to grow into good citizens. We aim to nurture our children on their journey through life so they can grow into safe, caring, democratic, responsible and tolerant adults who make a positive difference to British Society and to the world.

We encourage all children to be tolerant and respectful to those of different faiths and beliefs. This is done by providing the children with an understanding of the main festivals and key dates of significance to British culture e.g. Remembrance Day major political events such as elections. We celebrate key British events such as royal weddings and birthdays.

The DfE have recently reinforced 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 and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”

Below is an overview of how we promote British Values at Trinity Catholic College.

 

Democracy

  • We vote for our student Council and President/Vice president (sixth form).
  • We allow children and parents to complete surveys that seeks their ideas and opinions and act upon them where possible.
  • We learn about what democracy means and how it works in assemblies and focus days. Providing our children with a broad knowledge of and promoting respect for public institutions and services e.g. , MP visits into school, visits to/from Police, Hospitals, Fire Service, Local Councillors, attendance at remembrance day services.. Modelling how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged e.g. by teaching about inspirational figures such as Ghandi, Mandela, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King
  • We allow children/staff/parents to express their opinions thought and ideas through surveys and suggestions.

 

The Rule of Law

  • Ensuring school rules are clear and fair, through our consistent behaviour policy.
  • Helping children to distinguish right from wrong e.g. by using the example of Christ when dealing with behaviour that is not acceptable
  • Promoting respect for the law and the basis on which it is made e.g. through visitors such as PCSOs, Police, MP into school.
  • Helping children to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals e.g. through our RE curriculum, through focus days, visitors.
  • Having a behaviour policy that is linked to restorative justice e.g. that is based in the Christian value of forgiveness.
  • We learn about God’s rules in the Bible in RE lessons and during Assemblies.

 

Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

  • We learn about other cultures and in our lessons about other faiths and beliefs.
  • We read in scripture how Jesus shows us to care for others who don’t share our beliefs.
  • We understand how prejudice hurts people and how important it is to accept people for who they are.
  • Helping children to acquire an understanding of and respect for their own and other cultures and ways of life e.g. through Geography, International Links, Religious Education, and focus days, we deal with respect and equality and we reward children on a weekly basis who demonstrate the value in the ethos statement through the ‘Carrot System.’

 

Mutual Respect

  • Through our Catholic ethos we promote respect for individual differences e.g. through assemblies and masses, the RE curriculum, multi faith focus days.
  • Helping children to acquire an understanding of and respect for their own and other cultures and ways of life e.g. through Geography, International Links,GLP, Religious Education and multi faith weeks.
  • Openly discuss and celebrate the differences between people such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender and different family situations such as looked after children and young carers.
  • Respect for others, respect for the school building, respect for the values and beliefs of others, respect for ourselves, respect for our Catholic community, respect for other religions, countries and cultures.
  • On a more general level, the school undertakes assemblies which uphold traditional values of empathy, respect and tolerance. These are also taught within citizenship, PSHE and RE lessons and on an informal nature throughout the school days.

 

Individual liberty

  • Supporting pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence, through our Catholic ethos, our way of treating people, by investing heavily in meeting the needs of all of the children, by providing equality of opportunity, by knowing and understanding the needs of all of the children.
  • Encouraging pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour as well as knowing their rights, by having a fair and consistent approach to the behaviour policy.
  • Challenging stereotypes e.g. Visitors into school, disability awareness, anti-bullying and anti-racism learning, fundraising weeks.
  • Implementing a strong anti-bullying culture.
  • Our School Vision is for us to be independent, resilient and collaborative learners.
  • Our daily collective worship gives us time to reflect on our choices.
  • We understand that we have freedom of belief and speech in our nation as long as it does not incite hatred and intolerance.