The DfE have rightly reinforced the 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.”

We strongly believe that our ethos and values reinforce and promote these fundamental British values.

Democracy and the Rule of Law

• Pupils are listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern for each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.
• The whole school community undertakes a democratic process in the selection to the Junior Leadership Team (JLT), consisting of a Head Boy and Girl plus four deputies. Year 6 children have the opportunity to stand for election to the JLT. Within the election process, candidates create manifestos, present to the whole school and experience year group question and answer sessions. The JLT goes on to represent the children throughout the upcoming year
• Whole school referendums take place to make decisions that affect the school community such as which charity we will be supporting for the year, focus of Love Days and the types of interhouse competitions to be run.
• We have a ‘Pupil Voice’ which regularly meet to discuss issues raised in class council meetings. Pupil Voice members are elected democratically after having to explain their ideas about the role to the class. Pupil Voice are able to genuinely effect change within the school. 
• Our pupils were also involved in the creation and development of our learning values. They have also had a strong voice into how they evaluate their effort.
• Regular pupil conferencing in all areas of the curriculum and school life allows pupils’ opinions to directly steer decision making.
• Children have exit interviews at the end of each year to give them the opportunity to feed back their thoughts about their learning and experiences from the year.
• Members of our JLT are always involved in interviewing potential new staff members.  Indeed their questions are often harder to answer than the staff questions!
• JLT and Pupil Voice have raised funds for charities such as sports relief, new outdoor learning equipment and have also used donated funds to buy resources for WAM boxes.
• Year 6 pupils also have the opportunity to apply for positions, such as ‘laptop monitors’.
• Pupils are regularly asked questions about their learning in pupil conferencing sessions. We seek their views to improve our school.
• The curriculum itself actively promotes democracy, often explicitly, such as the Greeks project on democracy and a learning unit on political parties.
• In PE lessons and sporting competitions, we promote the concept of ‘fair play’, following and developing rules, inclusion of others, and being competitive in an appropriate way.
• A ‘sports crew’ is in place to gain feedback on the sporting calendar of competitions, events and curriculum coverage to inform future directions.
• At the end of the academic year, children voice their feelings on the year via a review in their school report.
• We have a strong behaviour policy, with clear rewards and consequences, which is applied consistently throughout the school.
• The importance of laws are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days through the promotion of our School Rules.
• Children are involved in drawing up their class charter, and the discussion around the rights and responsibilities associated with these. Children are taught about the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child and think about how these apply to them, and the responsibilities that come with them.
• As part of PSHE we consider issues such as how to resolve conflicts independently. The curriculum also promotes the importance of the rule of law through drink, drug and SRE topics. Local police and PCSOs are invited to come and discuss a range of issues with the children.
• Rule of law is discussed as part of risk management lessons, such as field trips and road safety as part of bikeability.
• Individual behaviour contracts are established for children who find established rules difficult to follow, with clearly defined rewards and sanctions.
• Junior Road Safety officers apply for the role and run activities to support children’s understanding of road safety.

Individual Liberty

• Children are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-safety lessons.
• Children are given the freedom to make choices; for example, through choices of learning challenge, of how they record their learning, and participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities.
• Children have the opportunity to choose their preference in our ‘Love Days’- a day set aside to explicitly develop learning behaviours and to work with pupils from different year groups.
• Children have a choice to choose their own WAM option to reward themselves for working and behaving as expected. Through Pupil Voice they also have a choice as to what options are offered.
• The curriculum also promotes individual liberty through an Amnesty International learning unit.
• During adventurous activities children are exposed to ‘challenge by choice’ in which they set their own personal goals.
• Children run and organise their own lunchtime clubs
• PSHE units examine the UNICEF Right of the Child and considers rights and responsibilities.
• Lunchtime Enrichment offers children a choice of activities that they can join in with.

Mutual Respect

• At MJS, we regularly use the language of our whole School Values through displays, marking, assemblies and spoken language.
• Respect is at the heart of our school CRAB values and is a key behaviour that we develop within our children.  Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect. 
• Class charters are developed by each class in order to have a shared understanding of how we show respect to each other as part of a Rights and Responsibilities unit at the start of each year
• We take pride in modelling manners and being courteous to each other. This is frequently commented on by visitors.  Marchwood Manners are an important aspect of our learning behaviour and can be rewarded through a special certificate.
• Weekly ‘Celebration Assemblies’ promote individual achievement, as well as developing respect for one another’s achievements.

• A topic on sustainability develops children’s awareness of how they can respect their environment.
• A topic on the future of Marchwood supports children in becoming active members of their community.
• Love of Community Day introduces children to the diverse offering of the local community.
• Green Team encourage recycling and litter picking in our school community.
• Lunch Bunch and Peer Mentors support children with respectful play.
• Circle Time is used as an opportunity to listen to the interests and achievements of peers.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

• At MJS, we have a variety of cultures and beliefs amongst our pupils and staff. Although broadly Christian in ethos, we celebrate diversity with the children.
• Our RE learning includes stories, discussions, visitors and learning about celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Pupils and visitors of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. Children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths where possible.
• At MJS, we will actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.
• The JLT are coordinating a Love of Cultures day which aims to open children’s eyes to difference and how diverse cultures should be celebrated.
• Units of work are established to celebrate a range of diverse cultures: French, Chinese, House of Wisdom.
• ‘No More Outsiders’ books act as a stimulus for dialogue in Circle Time around diversity, tolerance and acceptance.
• Music from around the world and different periods opens children’s experiences to a diversity of experience.
• Must Reads come from a diverse range of authors
• Food Tech exposes children to different cultures and times such as Fijian curry and Indian breads.
• Art examines the work from a diverse range of artists such as Basquiat.

Being Part of Britain

• As a school, we value and celebrate the diverse cultures of our community.  Alongside this, we value and celebrate being part of Britain.  In general terms, this means that we celebrate traditions, such as customs in the course of the year; for example, Remembrance Day, royal events, Harvest Festival, General Elections and news items, Christmas plays and traditions.
• Love of Communities day will be looking to celebrate our schools place in the local community and pull together the unique skills and talents of those around us.
• Furthermore, children learn about being part of Britain through our curriculum. Geographically, our pupils learn about the physical and locational elements of Britain, such as its capital cities and counties, its rivers and mountains, its make-up of countries, and where Britain is in relation to the rest of Europe and other countries in the world.
• In PSHE, they also investigate local issues and research how councils operate. They interpret data in order to identify ways to enhance our immediate locality and be an effective local citizen.
• Children learn about different periods in history, and how our British culture and way of life has been shaped by events in the past. This also includes inventions and discoveries, invaders and settlers and conflicts which have affected the local and national way of life.

Governors

• Our governing body is involved in challenging and supporting our school in ensuring that we promote British Values. They are discussed in meetings, and referred to when making visits and reports. The governor body conducts itself in a manner which reflects British Values, with democracy and mutual respect at the heart of what it does.

Ongoing actions

• We will continue to review further opportunities for embedding and learning the fundamental British values at a whole school level and through PSHE and RE specifically. This means that planning in PSHE and RE explicitly states how British Values are taught.

Prevent

A key part of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy is called ‘Prevent’. The aim is to prevent radicalisation of any individual, and to positively promote what it means to be British, in order to create a cohesive society that lives out British values, whatever the origins or ethnicity of the individuals.

How do we do our part in both preventing radicalisation, and promoting British Values?

• Most importantly, read above for how we promote British Values through our curriculum - it’s simply a part of who we are and what we do at MJS!
• We take great pride in developing our children’s Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural development.
• We ensure that our safeguarding practices are kept up-to-date, and our policy and training cover the different aspects of the ‘Prevent Strategy’.
• We ensure that our pupils are able to think critically using curriculum opportunities, including small group work.
• We teach about multiple religions.
• Assemblies focus on interpersonal skills, which inherently promote Fundamental British Values.
• We challenge and act strongly on any form of racism or prejudice, either by adults or children.
• We provide strong emotional and pastoral support, and look out for individuals or groups of children or adults who may be isolated.
• We have strong links with faith groups, and seek to look beyond our four walls, ensuring that we have a strong community feel.