British Values

At Gray’s Farm Primary Academy we uphold and teach pupils about British Values which are defined as:

  • democracy
  • rule of law
  • individual liberty
  • mutual respect
  • tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

These values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE), and Religious Education (RE). We also teach British Values through planning and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum.

The school takes opportunities to actively promote British Values through daily assemblies and whole school systems and structures such as electing and running a successful School Council. We also actively promote British values through ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery includes real opportunities for exploring these values.

At Gray’s Farm Primary Academy, these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy is an important value at our school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through the School Council. The elections of members of the School Council are based on pupil votes.  

The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days. Our system for behaviour is aligned to ‘The Gray’s Farm 5’ and if children are given verbal warnings this is always set against the agreed school behaviour code.

Children are asked to identify which aspect of the code they have broken to ensure that this connection is made and understood. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.  The school arranges visits from authorities such as the police and the fire service as a part of our calendar to help reinforce this message.

To encourage and promote good behaviour, attitude and work, we have devised a reward system which is consistently followed throughout the school.

We are committed to praising children’s efforts.  We endeavour to praise the children informally, individually, during group work, in front of the whole class and the whole school.  Children are rewarded not only for achievement in curriculum areas, but for behaviour and general adherence to ‘The Gray’s Farm 5’.

Rewards are given in the form of stickers, whole class pasta points, class certificates, Headteacher certificates and the Headteacher cup.  Additional rewards for good lunchtime behaviour are given, in the form of raffle tickets. Children’s achievements are also recognised during Celebration Assemblies.

Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices at our school, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we provide boundaries for our children to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and planned curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-Safety teaching. Pupils are given the freedom to make choices, e.g. signing up for extra-curricular clubs.

One of ‘The Gray’s Farm 5’ is ‘we are polite and kind to others’ which incorporates the children’s need to be respectful. An ethos of mutual respect between all aspects of the school community resonates throughout and is developed at any given opportunity.

This is achieved through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity in our local community.  School assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. We use opportunities such as the Olympics and World Cup to study and learn about life and culture in other countries.

We have a calendar of religious festivals to follow, where we study other world faiths and learn about their customs, practices and celebrations.