British Values
At Lady Elizabeth Hastings CE Primary School, the fundamental British Values are promoted and embedded into all parts of school life. We ensure all members of our school understand the importance of these values and how they are essential to enable us to operate as a community. We hold British Value themed assemblies throughout the year, as well as teaching detailed lessons about each British Values through our curriculum - particularly during PSHE and MindMate lessons, collective worship and our weekly Picture Worship. You will see British Values prominently displayed around school and in every classroom.
'Tolerance' at Lady Elizabeth Hastings Primary School
We recognise the multi-cultural and multi-faith nature of the City of Leeds as well as the United Kingdom and understand the crucial role we play in promoting these values.
We teach pupils about the 7 protected characteristics, to ensure each person is respected and valued equally. Cultural appreciation and the development of cultural capital is part of our curriculum. We place great emphasis on providing encounters and participation in events and celebrations to broaden all pupils’ experiences and awareness of others, including visits to places of worship.
We teach pupils to accept that others have different faiths or beliefs (or none) and these should be accepted, tolerated and respected. This is achieved through enhancing pupils' understanding of their place in a culturally diverse city and society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity, including visits to different places of worship. At our Church School, RE is an academic subject and we follow the Leeds/York Diocese agreed syllabus for RE, which provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures. Pupils learn about the values and beliefs of each religion, often identifying commonality and shared principles. We celebrate different festivals in school and give pupils a voice to share their religious and cultural experiences with their peers. Pupils are also taught about examples of famous people who used courage to challenge the discrimination that was shown towards them, whether culturally or linking to gender. This is also taught through Black History Month and in English and History Lessons.
'Mutual Respect' at Lady Elizabeth Hastings Primary School
Pupils understand that while people may hold different views, we should try to show respect towards them. We teach pupils to respect others, animals, their environment and themselves. Our staff effectively model Mutual Respect through their daily, professional, supportive working relationships with one another, parents/carers and pupils. As a Church school, our daily acts of worship strongly promote a wide range of values including 'Respect' which is also one of our four core school values.
Our school Behaviour and Relationship Policy is underpinned by our Christian Vision and Values and we also discuss respect through our PSHE, PE and RE curriculum. Our PE curriculum also promotes an attitude of equality and fairness. We take part in several local sporting activities, which helps to instil ‘fair play’ and create a ’team spirit’. For example, pupils have the opportunity to participate in football and basketball competitions this year.
From EYFS, pupils play, learn and grow together in our classroom activities to learn how to be part of a community - take turns, show respect and have consideration for others’ ideas/opinions.
Our learn to manage feelings and behaviour and form relationships with others, to treat others as they want to be treated, through circle time activities, restorative practice and whole school themed days, such as Anti-Bullying Week, and Children’s Mental Health Week.
'Individual Liberty' at Lady Elizabeth Hastings Primary School
Pupils are encouraged to become good and valued citizens who understand their right to be themselves. We do this by supporting each pupil to become as independent as possible an respect the rights of others. We endeavour to demonstrate that everyone has rights, including the right to say ‘no’, when appropriate. Some pupils take responsibility for particular roles and understand that with certain rights comes a level of responsibility, such as our team of Play Leaders.
We support others by participating in local community, national and charitable events such as, Children in Need, Comic Relief, as well as supporting local charities, such as Wetherby and District Foodbank. As a Church school we actively promote courageous advocacy which goes beyond charity and encourages pupils to speak out against injustice and work towards a fairer community.
Pupils learn they have the right to believe, act and express themselves freely. They are taught about equality, human rights, choice, consent, individuality, values and principles. We enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence.
'Rule of Law' at Lady Elizabeth Hastings Primary School
In addition to our values: courage, compassion, friendship and respect, we have three key rules in our school - ‘Be Ready’, ‘Be Respectful’ and ‘Be Safe’. We involve pupils in understanding these rules and how they relate to them; helping pupils to make appropriate decisions, choices and distinguish right from wrong. Our staff provide support, motivation and guidance to help pupils overcome obstacles to their learning, helping them to make the right choice. Pupils are helped to learn to manage their behaviour and take responsibility for their actions.
Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws and rules; that they govern and protect us; the responsibilities that they hold and the consequences when laws and rules are broken. Pupils understand and appreciate that living under the rule of law and respecting the civil and criminal law of England, is essential for our wellbeing and safety. The importance of laws (or rules) whether they be those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days; when dealing with behaviour and during PSHE, MindMate lessons, in collective worship and during Emergency Service Visits.
We have a clearly structured, restorative behaviour policy, which all stakeholders understand and follow. Our Behaviour and Relationship Policy is not primarily concerned with rule enforcement. It is a tool used to promote good relationships, so that people can work together with the common purpose of helping everyone learn. Restorative approaches are based on four key features: respect, responsibility, repair and re-integration.
From EYFS, pupils develop an understanding about the early language of good choice, bad choice, right and wrong. They learn to manage their own feelings and behaviour within agreed and clearly defined boundaries in our routines and play activities and about dealing with consequences if necessary. In our weekly, celebration worship, we recognise the excellent attitude and/or behaviour of individual pupils throughout school.
'Democracy' at Lady Elizabeth Hastings Primary School
At our school, we value greatly the thoughts and opinions of our pupils. We empower our pupils by giving them opportunities to make choices about the things that they believe to be important. We promote an understanding of how people can influence decision-making through the democratic process. In school, pupils have their voices heard through pupil voice and regular conversations with subject leaders to seek pupils' views about different aspects of school life. By valuing each ‘voice’ and by listening and responding to that voice, we demonstrate that we support democracy.
At the start of each school year, pupils have the opportunity to share their reasons why they wish to be a member of the School Council, Eco Council or Worship Council. Each pupil is then able to vote for their preferred candidate, with the elections based solely on pupil votes. The Council meetings are led by members of school staff and each class has representatives, who take questions from their classes to meetings in order to influence and develop policy and provision. We also have Play Leaders and Reading Ambassadors who lead as role model for the school.
From EYFS, pupils learn to listen to and respect the opinions and feelings of others in discussions and learning activities, taking turns, sharing, collaborating and making decisions together. This continues all the way through school. The principle of democracy is also explored in the History, PSHE and RE curriculum, as well as in collective worship.