At Lord Deramores’ Primary School we are committed to serving our community. We recognise the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom.
The Department for Education has introduced a statutory duty for schools to promote British Values more actively and to ensure they are taught in schools.
The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy as:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.
As part of our creative curriculum, at Lord Deramore’s, children learn about democracy, civic responsibility, rules and laws, the monarchy, equality, values, environmental awareness and understanding of other faiths. Through our curriculum we are able to make real links between the values of our pupils and the lives of others in their community, country and around the world.
Democracy
Democratic values are an explicit part of the ethos at Lord Deramore’s. All adults listen to the views of the pupils and value their opinions. Each year the children decide upon their class rules and the rights associated with these. The elections of School Council are the result of pupil votes and Councillors seek the opinions of their peers.
The rule of law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at Lord Deramore’s. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message.
Individual liberty
At Lord Deramore’s, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school, we educate and provide boundaries for pupils to make informed choices through a safe environment. Pupils are encouraged to understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to do this safely, for example through our e-Safety and PSHE lessons.
Mutual respect
Our school’s ethos is based on constantly promoting respect for others and the importance of making right choices, as well as the promotion of good manners. All pupils are taught the importance of self-respect, trust, honesty and care for others. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others.
Tolerance
Lord Deramore’s is a culturally diverse and multi-faith school. We actively promote diversity through our celebrations of different faiths and cultures. RE and PSHE lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others.
We study world faiths and pupils are given the opportunity to visit places of worship. We welcome members of different cultures, faiths and religions into school to share their beliefs and practices in order to remove barriers and to enhance learning.