LEARN MORE ABOUT
British values
As a community academy we believe
We have a vital role in combating discrimination and promoting fairness, justice, and equality through our teaching
The Government defined its concept of ‘British values’ in its 2011 Prevent strategy, and since 2014 the Department for Education has required all academies 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”.
Our academy has a wonderfully diverse community and welcomes and values everyone, whatever their ability, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, or background. Currently, we have pupils and families who originate from many different countries worldwide. As a community academy, we believe we have a vital role in combating discrimination and promoting fairness, justice, and equality through our teaching and in the role models we offer. We teach our pupils to be responsible citizens and positive representatives of the United Kingdom within the wider world.
Promoting British values is, therefore, an intrinsic part of all we do. We expect that these values and attitudes are modelled and promoted by all the staff, allowing pupils to see and hear these values in action every day.
We promote ‘British values’ through our spiritual, moral, social, and cultural education which is developed through all curriculum areas and in all aspects of school life.
We promote ‘British values’ through our personal development curriculum in conjunction with spiritual, moral, social, and cultural education, RSE, Careers and Character Education which is developed through all curriculum areas and in all aspects of school life. Values and virtues, linked to British Values, are taught, and tracked within the wider curriculum and re-enforced by our values based co-curricular provision.
Across the curriculum all subject teachers create meaningful opportunities within their lessons to promote British Values, this may be in the form of a discussion, debate, visual stimulus or by reference to their learning and the connection to British Values. Our students also have a weekly assembly that covers many topical and relevant issues that link to British Values. We also have a student council within our academy which allows students to be active citizens by sharing their viewpoints and ideas.
Monitoring takes place using Personal Development Passports which are monitored by form tutors, and the Personal Development lead who support individuals as necessary to identify and close any knowledge gaps which emerge. Teaching opportunities across the curriculum are tracked though use of the SMSC Grid.
Through these learning opportunities our students grow in their knowledge and understanding of British Values, preparing them for life in Modern Britan.
‘British values’ have been identified as:
- Democracy – At Kickstart we encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes by democratically electing a student council. Elected members canvass their tutor group and represent their views at regular Student Council meetings. Students vote on various academy decisions, regularly complete questionnaires, and put forward their views. Student views are obtained following lesson observations for prospective staff members.
- Rule of law – As part of the Personal Development programme, assemblies and within form time students are taught the value and reasons behind the law and academy rules and their responsibilities and the consequences of their actions. Academy rules are applied consistently and fairly allowing students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England, its public institutions and services and encouraging students 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 academy and to society more widely. We work closely with the local PCSO team who attend our academy to speak with our students about making positive choices for their futures.
- Individual liberty – Students are always encouraged to make individual choices and have lots of teamwork opportunities available to them. The academy has a robust Anti-Bullying policy so that students have a positive academy experience where they can make progress in all areas of their personal development. We work hard to provide a safe, nurturing environment where proactive measures are taken to ensure all students are protected from all types of bullying and a culture in which everybody plays their part in reducing it. This enables students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem, and confidence.
- Mutual respect – Students are taught about respect and about caring for themselves and others in assemblies and as part of the Personal Development programme to further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions and to enable students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures. Relationships between staff and students are based on our core values: Ready, Respectful, Safe. All staff uphold high expectations for student behaviour. As a result, students treat each other with respect and talk through any differences they may have hold with staff who are skilled in supporting mediation and restorative conversations. The students create fundraising opportunities for a wide variety of charities and community organisations.
- Acceptance of different faiths and beliefs – As part of the curriculum, tolerance and acceptance of other faiths and cultures is discussed, debated, and encouraged. Students are made fully aware of the issues around equality. We celebrate our differences and show respect for our community. Students understand and develop their role as active and responsible citizens and are equipped with the skills to challenge discrimination.
The academy promotes equality of opportunity and diversity effectively. As a result, students understand, appreciate and respect difference in the world and its people, celebrating the things we share across cultural, religious, ethnic, and socio-economic communities. Kickstart is an outward facing and globally conscious academy; we promote compassion, and advocacy for all members of our academy community. We are unwaveringly inclusive and determined to eradicate all barriers to educational success.
Our academy assemblies celebrating equality of opportunity and diversity in the world including cultural, religious, and socio-economic communities. We recognise and support prominent national events, for example Autism awareness, Mental Health awareness week, Anti Bullying week and Black History Month through promotion in the academy’s newsletter. Promotional materials, displays, and the academy website are monitored to ensure balanced representation of students from various cultural, religious, ethnic, and socio-economic communities.
