At Highworth Pre-School as part government requirement we actively promote the fundamental
British Values. The fundamental British Values are defined as:
· Democracy
· The Rule of Law
· Individual Liberty
· Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs.
Promoting these British Values is now a central part of
teaching and learning. By doing this, we aim to help children become well-rounded members of the society. These British Values are promoted throughout the curriculum, across the
pre-school.
Below are some examples of how British Values may be
promoted in school.
Democracy
We aim to promote this British Value by demonstrating how democracy works by discussion,
decision-making and voting. For example:
- Encouraging
children to know their views count and their opinions are important - for example, following the children’s interests for topics and activities.
- Encouraging
children to make decisions together, e.g. when sharing a group toy, like a large train set.
- Encouraging
children to see their role in the ‘bigger picture’, e.g. linking to part of a family, class, group, school, community etc
- Providing
opportunities for the children to vote between choices of activity, for example, choosing a theme for their role play area, choosing a book for story time or a song for song time by a show of
hands.
- Children may
also have the opportunity to vote for members of a school council.
The Rule of Law
We aim to promote this British Value by demonstrating a need for rules and laws help to keep us
safe and happy. For example:
- Encouraging
adults and children to work together to create group rules. Discussing the need for rules and how they should be administered fairly, e.g. the need for rules to keep everyone safe and
happy.
- Teaching
children to understand their own and others’ behaviour and feelings, and the consequences.
- Working
together to create an environment where actions are consistently followed through, e.g. adherence to class rules, follow-ups on discussions and other choices explored after taking a group
vote.
- Encouraging
and supporting children to learn how to distinguish right from wrong.
Individual Liberty
We aim to promote this British Value by individual freedoms to choose faiths, beliefs and
likes/dislikes. For example:
- Providing
opportunities for children to develop their self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities, e.g. by sharing achievements and successes and promoting independence.
- Encouraging
children to try a range of different activities and opportunities and to discuss and select their own preferences.
- Providing
activities for all children to engage in and actively challenge gender-specific tasks and activities.
- Encouraging
children to develop a positive sense of themselves.
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs
We aim to promote this British Value by demonstrating respect and tolerance towards other
beliefs and faiths. For example:
- Working as a
group to create an environment that includes, values and promotes different faiths, cultures, views and races.
- Providing
opportunities for the children to make links with the wider community, for example outings to local places, inviting family members or speakers to visit the setting or making links with a local
charity.
- Encouraging children to learn about other faiths, cultures, traditions, families, communities and ways of life. Schools might encourage the children to share their
experiences with the group and allow the children to recognise similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, learning about festivals and special days, different types of
family units, different occupations and places around the world.
- Encouraging children to
learn about the world around them – both locally and further afield. For example, local trips, using books, stories, posters and videos, etc. to learn about places far away, cultural days, local
events and activities and national celebrations.