Our School Values
At Billingham South Community Primary School we use values to promote positive behaviour and a conscientious attitude towards work.
As a staff we decided on the following core values: Happiness, Courage, Responsibility, Quality and Resilience.
The children are rewarded each time they display a value. They work towards a badge that has been designed by our year 6 pupils and this features a rainbow. Once the children have gained their values badge they then work through a set of certificates that require them to continue to display our core values. Once they have achieved 5 certificates they are awarded the accolade of a sew-on Values Rainbow that will be worn on their jumper.
Careful consideration went into selecting our core values and we feel that they fit perfectly with our school vision and ethos. There is a strong emphasis on Happiness in school and this encouraged at a personal, class, school and community level. At Billingham South our vision requires us to be ‘the best that we can be’, our values of Quality and Resilience encourage this. Our continued work on having a Growth Mindset and a ‘can’t do it yet!’ attitude is linked with our values of Courage, Resilience and Quality. We have high expectations of our pupils’ behaviour and conduct at all times and therefore we encourage our pupils to conduct themselves Responsibly.
Values and Ethos
At Billingham South Community Primary School we value the diversity of backgrounds of all pupils, families and the wider school community.
The Department for Education states that there is a 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”.
The Department for Education defines British Values as follows:
- Respect for democracy and support or participation in the democratic process
- Respect for the basis on which the law is made and applies in England
- Support for equality of opportunity for all
- Support and respect for the liberties of all within the law
- Respect for and tolerance of different faiths and religious and other beliefs
Our school reflects British values in all that we do. We encourage our children to be creative, unique, open-minded and independent individuals, respectful of themselves and of others in our school, our local community and the wider world. Our school ethos promotes children to have their hearts in Billingham and their eyes on the wider world.
At Billingham South Community Primary School, we actively promote British values in the following ways:
DEMOCRACY
- Pupil voice is very important and something as a school we continue to develop and strive towards.
- The principles of democracy are explored in the curriculum e.g. Turn taking, sharing and collaboration, as well as during assemblies.
- Our school council is democratically elected, with children creating and presenting their own manifestos and then voting democratically using a ballot system.
- Our school council are working on:
- Supporting our new reward system by organising and running our ‘dojo shop’.
- Ensuring our break times and lunchtimes are enjoyed by all.
- Ensuring our classes can voice their ideas and concerns and that any actions are discussed with classes.
- Our school council were part of the process of recruiting our new headteacher and deputy headteacher who were both new to post in the 2015/2016 academic year.
- In November 2015 the Parliament Education Service visited our KS2 children. They conducted an assembly to explain how our democratic system works. The children then had workshops to create their own political party with accompanying campaigns and manifestos. Voting then took place and the success of different parties was discussed and why they achieved more votes.
- Our Speaking and Listening lead teacher has a keen interest in incorporating more debate into our curriculum and this will develop throughout 2016/2017.
RULE OF LAW
- The ethos and school environment promotes and encourages respect and helps pupils to distinguish right from wrong.
- Class rules are shared frequently as and where necessary, reminding pupils of our school ethos and values. Our rules are displayed in all classrooms and in many common areas as a visual reminder to children.
- We raise awareness of bullying through regular discussions with the children about positive relationships. KS2 children recently benefitted from a theatre group visiting to show the dangers of peer pressure leading to bullying.
- Staff are to receive training regarding prejudicial bullying as a preventative measure in May 2016.
- A parent session is being offered to help them to feel able to discuss any concerns regarding bullying in June 2016.
- The school is working towards the Anti Bullying Charter Mark.
INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY
- Our school environment is one that promotes independence. Our aim is for all children to be prepared and inspired to be the best they can be.
- We all work to promote the pupils’ self-esteem and positive sense of self throughout the school day.
- From the EYFS through to Year Six pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour and are supported to learn to make safe choices that enable them to grow as individuals and reach their own potential in all aspects of their learning
- As pupils move up through the school they are supported to understand their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and are given appropriate advice to enable them to make independent decisions.
- Vulnerable pupils are supported to make appropriate decisions and staff ensure that adults supporting them are doing so with the pupil’s best interests.
- We conduct parent surveys and use the results to inform best practice.
- We pride ourselves on a school culture and ethos that builds respect, tolerance and resilience.
- Our assemblies have looked at those people who have had to fight for individual liberty and freedom e.g. Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela.
MUTUAL RESPECT AND TOLERANCE OF THOSE WITH DIFFERENT FAITHS AND BELIEFS
- Respect is one of the values we study as part of our ‘Values Based Education’. The pupils know and understand that it is expected that respect is shown to everyone – adults and children.
- Pupils are helped to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other opinions, cultures and ways of life.
- Staff and pupils are encouraged to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour. Incidents are recorded. Staff have had diversity training and are soon to have training in prejudicial bullying as a preventative measure.
- Links and visits are promoted with local faith communities and places of worship. We have regular assemblies from visiting speakers from different Christian denominational Churches.
- Many children have had the opportunity to visit a local Mosque and some children have benefitted from a visit from a Buddhist Monk who discussed his beliefs and lifestyle.
- Through the PSHE and RE curriculums pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences between people.
- Key Stage Two children benefitted from a fantastic assembly about stereotyping people due to their appearance. This was conducted by Leo Gormley who had been badly burnt as a child and had significant facial scarring. The children showed Leo complete respect and were fascinated by his story. When values are demonstrated by pupils they are rewarded by moving along their class rainbow. This is a visual journey where pupils can celebrate their achievement in actively promoting and modelling values. These celebratory values rainbows are used from Reception to Year 6.
