Core British Values
The curriculum at Oak Bank School actively promotes fundamental ‘British’ values. This includes the values of democracy, the rule of the law, individual liberty and mutual respect/ tolerance for others.
At Oak Bank School each of these values are reinforced daily in the following ways:
Democracy- Pupils have a say in school life at the termly student forum meetings. This is shared with Mr Collier our Headteacher.
Liberty- Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe environment and also understanding that they are accountable for those choices.
Respect and Tolerance- Mutual respect is an integral part of the Oak Bank Family culture at our School. Our SMSC lessons teach pupils to respect the values and beliefs of others, which extends to the whole school philosophy.
Law- Pupils understand the difference between right and wrong. They recognise that there are consequences for every choice that they make and apply this to their lives inside and outside of school by respecting English civil and criminal law.
Responsibility-We expect our pupils to be proactive in their learning, understanding that they are equally responsible for their learning as the teacher.
The Teachers’ Standards expect teachers to uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school.
This includes not undermining fundamental British values. Through their provision of SMSC, schools should:
- enable students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;
- enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;
- encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely;
- enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;
- further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures;
- encourage respect for other people; and
- encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.
The list below describes the understanding and knowledge expected of pupils as a result of schools promoting fundamental British values.
- an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process;
- an appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety;
- an understanding that there is a separation of power between the executive and the judiciary, and that while some public bodies such as the police and the army can be held to account through Parliament, others such as the courts maintain independence;
- an understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law;
- an acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour; and
- an understanding of the importance of identifying and combating discrimination.
