Fundamental British Values

Preparation for living in Modern day Britain

This policy takes into account section 78 of the Education Act 2002 which requires schools, as part of a broad and balanced curriculum, to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society. It also takes into account the non-statutory advice on British values from the Department of Education (November 2014), the Prevent Strategy, the Teachers Standards and the Equality Act 2010 Advice for Schools.

This policy also links with our policies for

  • Anti-bullying
  • Behaviour Management
  • Safeguarding
  • Curriculum areas
  • Equality
  • PSHCE (including Sex & Relationships Education and Drug Education)
  • SEND

Farnham Primary School actively promotes the fundamental British values of:

  • democracy,
  • the rule of law
  • individual liberty
  • mutual respect
  • acceptance of those with different faiths and beliefs

This is achieved through the effective spiritual, moral and cultural development of our pupils, as part of a broad and balanced curriculum and extra –curricular activities, through our links with both the local community and the wider world. In promoting our pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development  (SMSC) we demonstrate our commitment to actively promoting fundamental British values in ways which are appropriate to our pupils’ age and ability.

We will enable our pupils to understand that while different people may hold different views about what is right and wrong, all people living in England are subject to its law.

The ethos and teaching in our school, which we make parents and visitors aware of, will support the rule of English civil and criminal law and we will not teach or allow anything that undermines it.  In our teaching about religious law, we will take particular care to explore the relationship between state and religious law.  Our  pupils will be made aware of the difference between the law of our land and religious law.

Through our provision of SMSC, we will:

  • enable our pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;
  • enable our pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;
  • encourage our pupils 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 our pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;
  • further develop tolerance and harmony between our country’s different cultural traditions by enabling our pupils 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

We will ensure that our curriculum includes activities appropriate to the age and development of our pupils that will help to prepare them positively for life in modern Britain and the detail for this will be found in our curriculum planning.

Reviewed October 2020