Promoting British Values at Sunnyfields
At Sunnyfields, we promote fundamental British values through our ethos, the curriculum, our Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development, and through our work as a Rights Respecting School.
We reinforce and promote British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance.
Democracy
We promote an understanding of democracy by giving children access to Article 12 UNCRC; 'Every child has the right to express their opinion'.
Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. Classes hold annual elections in order to select two school council members for each year group. The school council meets regularly to discuss ideas raised by pupils.
The children also have the opportunity to act as Rights Ambassadors who, together with School Councillors, hold discussions during Circle Time in order to discuss school policies, ideas for school improvements, fundraising or events.
The Rights Ambassadors and School Councillors also gather together with all pupils at 'School Parliaments' to discuss and resolve any whole school issues.
Children complete annual questionnaires to put forward their views about the school.
In this way, Sunnyfields pupils are given opportunities to make decisions about a range of aspects of school life, in order to give them a voice, responsibility and an understanding of democracy.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws is consistently reinforced throughout the school day.
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. Our Home-School agreement sets out the contract between the school, the child and their parents. The School Charter sets out expected behaviours, based on children's rights. The Class Charters outline the agreements made between the staff and the pupils. All members of the school community sign our Acceptable Use Agreement, which is designed to help pupils keep themselves safe when using devices. Vertically grouped circle times are used to discuss whole school policies.
The school has very good links with authorities such as the Police and Fire Service, who visit and help to reinforce the Rule of Law and educate children on ways to keep themselves safe.
Individual Liberty
Within school, 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 choices, through provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely; for example in computing through our approach to Online Safety.
Sunnyfields pupils are given the freedom to make many choices, be this in class, through their choice of learning strategies (see our 'Building Learning Power' page), a wide range of extra-curricular activities, through fundraising or sporting opportunities or their choice of musical instrument, for example.
Mutual Respect
As a Rights Respecting school, respect is at the heart of our ethos..
Children learn that their behaviour has an impact on their rights and those of others. There are many opportunities to develop SMSC (Social, Emotional, Spiritual and Cultural Education) across the curriculum for example through R.E., PSHE, PE, art, music, history, geography, science and English. Children are encouraged to work in collaboration as much as possible either in their class, with other year groups, as Playground Pals, Behaviour Leaders, or Digital Leaders and sometimes with other schools in sport or at music and dance festivals.
All members of the school community treat each other with respect. We publish all our behaviour policies on the website and parents, pupils and staff sign a Home-School agreement setting out our expectations. Assemblies on inspirational people reflect this ethos. We hold regular events where members of the school community are able to celebrate our diversity.
Tolerance
Sunnyfields is an incredibly diverse community and this is our strength.
Within our school we constantly promote tolerance towards others from different backgrounds, cultures, languages, faiths and beliefs.
Our Religious Education syllabus, Personal, Social, Health and Emotional curriculum and Rights Respecting ethos reinforce our commitment towards a tolerant society. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths. Over their school career they visit a synagogue, church, temple and mosque. At every opportunity we explore the similarities between religions and cultures.
During the register, children are invited to use phrases from different languages, for example. Arabic, Krio, Polish, Slovak, Pashtu have all been chosen at some point.
As an inclusive school we celebrate a variety of important religious festivals throughout the year. During these we encourage the children to identify similarities between faiths. Diwali, Eid al Futr, Holi, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Nowruz, Easter and Shrove Tuesday are examples of festivals celebrated at Sunnyfields. Parents or children take on central roles in these assemblies to which other members of the school community are invited.
At Sunnyfields we will actively challenge pupils, staff, parents or anyone in the school community expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including 'extremist' views.
