As an important part of our integrated approach to Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural education at Beddington Park Academy, we promote children’s understanding of British values by embedding them across the school curriculum so that they permeate children’s learning as well as influence the values and ethos of the school.
It is our aim to ensure that children at Beddington Park Academy understand and actively participate in democracy, understand the difference between right and wrong, understand the rule of law, know their own personal rights and responsibilities and are mutually respectful and tolerant to those with different faiths and beliefs. At Beddington Park Academy we offer pupils a rigorous and challenging curriculum which encourages pupils to reflect on their role in society. These are some examples of how this is achieved:
- English & Creative Writing: Many books studied will have themes covering tolerance, mutual respect and democracy. Lessons look at how these themes are presented and how characters embody these values. Poetry, songs and languages from other cultures are also examined. Lessons explore the meaning of concepts such as liberty, democracy and tolerance.
- UNICEF Rights Respecting Language - We have explicitly adopted a child rights approach based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and have embedded it in school policy, practice and culture. Pupils and adults in our school have a thorough understanding of child rights, and rights respecting attitudes and language are embedded across the school.
- Religious Education (RE): Lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others. Children have the opportunity to visit places of worship that are important to different to faiths. We actively promote diversity through celebrations of different faiths and cultures
- History and Geography: Pupils analyse events in UK and world history where British values have been tested such as both World Wars. In geography, pupils look at how different cultures live and work throughout the world.
- Assemblies/Global Citizenship Early Morning Work: Assemblies and Early Morning Work lessons are held which explore the different values. These may link to a topic being studied, an issue topical in the news or pertinent to each class and many of them directly support the promotion and understanding of British values.
- Enrichment: Opportunities are provided for children to learn and understand more about the society in which they live through educational visits to different places of worship, the local area and from visitors coming to school. This includes a range of professionals such as police officers, local MPs, lawyers and professional athletes.