British Values Statement
The Department for Education states that there is a need:
“To create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs”.
Democracy- Respect for democracy and support or participation in the democratic process
At the start of each school year each class (from Year 1 upwards) vote in one school council representatives which give pupils a say on small-level decisions that are made at Lime Academy Hornbeam. The council meet frequently with the lead teachers to discuss any issues in class and across the school. We teach our children to be respectful of themselves and others. They are given a voice and that voice is heard. We participate in fundraising for many charities for example Macmillan Foundation where we raise funds through holding coffee mornings where parents are welcome to spend time in class with their young people.
The Rule of Law – Respect for the basis on which the law is made and applies in
Each class creates their classroom rules early on in the autumn term. All pupils will agree to follow these rules. Pupils are praised for following the classroom rules through whole class positive reinforcement and personalised approaches. On the rare occasion that the classroom rules are not followed, a personalised approach will be adopted in line with pupils positive behaviour support plan (PBS).
Individual Liberty – Support and respect for the liberties of all within the law
Pupils are both encouraged and given the freedom to make choices and to respect the choices, decisions and beliefs of other pupils. They are also encouraged to give their opinions and share these ideas with due regard for the feelings of others. As part of our PSHE and Religious Education curriculum we place an emphasis on social and emotional learning. We celebrate pupils' achievements both in and out of school. Parents are also invited to assemblies to join in with various celebrations in line with our vision.
Mutual Respect – Support for equality of opportunity for all
Pupils are reminded about the importance of respecting themselves and those around them. We also teach them to be respectful of their school, resources and environment. This is also supported by the classroom rules and modelled by all staff around the school. Through different areas of the curriculum, pupils are taught about differences and the importance of respecting and celebrating them. We recognise our learners have a variety of complex needs and support learners to remove barriers to enable effective socialisation. This is line with our values of equity.
Tolerance – Respect for and tolerance of those different faiths and religious and other beliefs
We promote diversity through our celebrations of different faiths and cultures. During Religious Education and whole school assemblies, we reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others. Pupils are given opportunities to share their beliefs with their class and through this sharing we learn to be more tolerant, respectful and knowledgeable about other faiths, religions and beliefs. The pupils visit places of worship that are important to different faiths as part of the curriculum. We recognise that not everyone’s home life is the same so pupils are also given opportunities to speak about any issues affecting them in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
British Traditions and Heritage
In our academy we celebrate the role of Britain both historically and through current events within our curriculum. This involves celebrating any Royal events, Remembrance Day, festivals such as Harvest, Christmas and Easter alongside those from other cultures such as Eid, Diwali and the Chinese New Year.
Our School Council
We have a school council which is elected each year and contribute to the decision making processes in the school.