British Values

Growing, Learning, Loving; United in Play, Prayer and Peace
We grow in understanding and faith to be the best we can be.

We learn about a world outside of our school

We love one another as Jesus taught us through the Gospels.

We are united in all that we do.

We play together, caring for each other.

We pray that we can become closer to God.

We want peace in our school, community and world.

Our mission statement (above) clearly illustrates our commitment to instilling in children the fundamental British values which will prepare them for life in modern Britain. The DfE have recently reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs”

At St George and St Martin Catholic Academy, these values are reinforced through our relationships with one another, through our every day actions and in the following specific ways:

Democracy
All children are given the opportunity to have a say (often through voting) in a wide range of decisions in their own classes (for example each week, each class uses a voting system to decide on activities for golden time) and whole school decisions (for example Key Stage One children designed and voted on plans for new playground equipment). Children are also given input into decisions about after school clubs, the curriculum, the behaviour policy and improvements to the school through pupil questionnaires.

At the start of each academic year, the children vote to select members of the Pupil Leadership Team which comprises Head Boy and Head Girl, Sports Captains, Prefects and School councillors. School Council representatives who attend meetings with the Principal and are the means through which the Senior Leadership Team involve all of the children in decision making and all of the children bring their ideas to the Senior Leadership Team.

Children are also taught about local and national democracy through events such as ‘Councillors go back to school’ and ‘Local democracy: Mandate for change’ at the local Town Hall.

Rule of law
From entry into the Nursery, our children are taught the ‘Golden rules’ of our school and understand that these are necessary to make our school a safe and happy place for all. Through the Golden Time system and behaviour policy, children are taught the importance of following rules and the consequences if they do not. This simple system prepares them to be able to follow rules in their future education, workplace and wider society. Our Pupil Leadership Team take seriously their role in upholding the rules of our school. This message is reinforced through visits and visitors, for example Crucial Crew and the Police Cadet scheme.

Individual liberty
At St George and St Martin, we really do value each and every one of our children as individuals. From entry into the Nursery, our children are encouraged to make their own choices and are able to make choices and take risks because they feel safe and supported. Examples of the choices which our children are encouraged to make include the level of challenge to undertake in a particular lesson, the way in which they choose to record their learning, which of our wide range of after school clubs to attend, which golden time activity to choose.

Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
The core value of respect underpins all that we do at St George and St Martin and teaching clearly communicates the fact that our world is full of people of different religions, races, beliefs, appearances, talents and abilities. Respect for all is continually reiterated through teaching, assemblies and day to day interactions and is accepted as a fundamental fact by all of our children and staff.

A strong preventative focus is placed on bullying through learning in classrooms, assemblies, workshops and performances. This includes all types of bullying including cyber bullying.

St George and St Martin is a Catholic Academy and we are very proud of our belief in the teaching of Jesus Christ that we should ‘Love one another, just as I have loved you’. The respect outlined above is shown to all people of all faiths and beliefs. Children are taught about the major world religions through a rolling programme of ‘World Faith Days’, assemblies focus on the feasts and celebrations of these faiths and members of different faith and religious groups are encouraged to share their knowledge with our children in order to enhance their learning.