SS Peter and Paul's Catholic Primary School

British Values

The key learning behind British Values is embedded throughout our curriculum.  Designated time is also assigned within the year to complete lessons focussed on each of the key areas.

 At SS Peter & Paul’s Catholic Primary School treating each other with mutual love and respect is fundamental to our beliefs and is rooted in:

Our Mission Statement

“We show our love for God in the way we treat each other.  Together we follow Jesus by learning and sharing our gifts.”

As well as encouraging our pupils to do their best and reach their academic potential, we also recognise the importance of encouraging our pupils to flourish spiritually, morally, socially and culturally.  We aim to prepare our pupils to take an active and fulfilling role as good citizens who will contribute fully to British society and will work for the Common Good and in the service of others.   

We are a Catholic, Gold Rights Respecting School which follows a values-based curriculum and our teaching of British Values is therefore embedded in all we do and teach.

DEMOCRACY

At SS Peter and Paul’s, we promote the importance of democracy and pupil voice through a range of ways such as:

Our School Council

• Pupils vote for their class councillor who represents their class at meetings.
• Minutes from meetings are shared with classes and published on the school website for parents to view.
• Pupils meet with School Governors to inform them of the work they are carrying out in the school.
• Pupils discuss and vote on what issues they will work on and what charities they will support and how they will raise money
• They promote healthy and safe modes of travel to and from school, as well as represent the school at road safety events
• They meet regularly to discuss and vote on what safety initiatives and projects they are going to work on and promote within the school.

 Rights Respecting Charter

• Each class votes on and devises their own Class Charter outlining which Rights Respecting Articles they are going to focus on in their class.
• We have a Rights Respecting Steering Committee, which meets termly with parents from the community and a school Governor to discuss ways that the whole school community can work together towards achieving some of the UN’s sustainability goals.

 Pupil Questionnaires

• Pupils are given a voice through our pupil questionnaire which asks them about different aspects of their life at school such as: Can you ask questions? Do you feel listened to? Do you get opportunities to respond to teacher’s marking?  Do you feel safe?
• The SLT, Governors and teachers study the outcome of the questionnaires and address any concerns that may arise.

 PSHE Lessons/Circle Time

• Pupils are encouraged to listen to and respect each other’s views.
• Pupils are given the opportunity to discuss issues that are concerning them.

 Class Debates

• Pupils are given the opportunity to debate and present arguments on a wide range of topics.
• Pupils are encouraged to vote on decisions which may affect the class.

 Mock Elections

• Pupils were introduced to the concept of democracy and the election system through our school councillor election.

 Curriculum

• We ensure all students are given the opportunity to access the curriculum.
• Pupils respond to teacher feedback in books.
• Pupils learn about democracy as part of their work on the Ancient Greeks.
• Pupils learn about the impact of the suffragette movement including particular activists such as Emmeline Pankhurst, as well as notable figures in history like Rosa Parks.

RULE OF LAW 

SSPP is a Gold Rights Respecting school and children are continually made aware of the importance of laws and rules not only in their classes and the school, but in the wider community too.  At the start of each academic year the children work together with their teachers to devise their Class Charter which they promise to adhere to throughout the year. 

We also promote the Rule of Law and the importance of having and following rules through:

School Mission Statement

• Pupils take time to study our school mission statement which is displayed prominently around the school and teachers and school leaders regularly refer to it when encouraging pupils to make positive choices.
• At the end of the year, pupils are nominated for awards including those who we believe have lived the school mission statement.

School Behaviour Policy

• SSPP has a clear behaviour policy.
• The behaviour policy follows a reflective process, where children are asked to think about how the choices they have made and the actions they have taken may have impacted on the rights of others.
• Pupils are taught the importance of following school and class rules and these are continually reinforced throughout the school day.
• Pupils are rewarded for good behaviour and are clear on the sanctions which are enforced should rules be broken.

Rights Respecting Charter

• Pupils mutually devise their Class Charters and sign up to follow them.
• There is a full SSPP School Charter which was agreed and prominently displayed.

Rules of the Church

• In R.E. lessons, masses, assemblies and collective worship, the rules of the Church and the teachings of Jesus are highlighted to pupils.

Outside Agencies

• Outside agencies including Social Services, the Police and Fire Services and the Borough’s Road Safety Team liaise closely with the school and are invited in to talk to pupils on a range of topics.
• Pupils are made aware of how these people in the community are there to help support them and keep them safe.
• Year 6 pupils take part in the Junior Citizenship Scheme which teaches them about keeping safe in everyday life.

Internet Safety

• Pupils and teachers are encouraged to use social media responsibly and correctly through the Acceptable Use Policy and E-safety lessons and assemblies.
• E-Safety permeates through our full curriculum and is taught in all year groups as a discrete element of the computing curriculum.

INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY 

Children are taught to understand that along with their rights and freedoms, come responsibility. Through our R.E., Rights Respecting and PSHE lessons, children are taught the importance of taking responsibility for their actions and the choices they make.  They are encouraged to make good choices in a secure environment and learn how to keep themselves safe in the outside world and when using the Internet.

Through our Behaviour Reflections, they are also encouraged to reflect on their actions and their choices and to realise that poor choices have consequences which they have to live with. Through our Sacrament of Reconciliation children are taught the importance of saying sorry when they have made poor choices.

Behaviour for Learning

• Pupils are encouraged to develop good behaviours for learning to enable them to become independent and creative thinkers and learners.
• They are encouraged to ask and answer probing and philosophical questions to extend and deepen their thinking.
• They are encouraged to use persuasive speech to inspire their peers and achieve greatness.
• They are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and are given the opportunity to respond to teacher’s marking and comments.

Be the Best You Can Be

• Pupils have been visited by inspirational speakers including authors, sports persons, key religious leaders and dignitaries.

The School Council

• The School Council actively promotes the School’s Anti-bullying policy through assemblies and competitions. 
• They encourage pupils’ to take responsibility for their environment through their work on promoting the UN’s Global Goals
• School Councillors regularly attend the Holocaust Memorial Day and have taken part in assemblies to remind fellow pupils about the significance of the day and encourage them to not stand by and let bullying and discrimination take place.

Curriculum

• In R.E. lessons, pupils learn about the uniqueness of the individual created in the image and likeness of God.  They are taught right from wrong and how to make good and informed choices.
• Through reconciliation services, pupils are taught the importance of saying sorry when they have made mistakes and are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions.
• Pupils learn about the African Slave Trade in History and importance of trade.
• Pupils learn about self-care, keeping safe and personal relationships through our PSHE curriculum and Journey in Love programme of study.

Rights Respecting

• The school has pledged to adhere to the UNICEF Rights of the Child. 
• Pupils are taught about their Rights and Responsibilities through Rights Respecting lessons and assemblies.

MUTUAL RESPECT 

Although our school is predominantly Catholic, we also have children and members of staff from a range of other faith groups and we actively promote tolerance of other faiths, cultures and beliefs. At SSPP we also recognise that there are different groups of people within our society who are disadvantaged through poverty, disability or poor health.  Our pupils work hard to raise money for the charities which support these groups within the community.

Behaviour Policy

• SSPP has a clear behaviour policy that is applied to all pupils equally and fairly.
• The policy encourages pupils to treat each other with respect and tolerance and appropriate sanctions are applied if the policy is not adhered to.

Curriculum & Collective Worship

• The school follows the Come and See Religious Education Programme which teaches about other faiths including Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam.
• We study scripture stories such as The Good Samaritan and how Jesus encourages tolerance.
• Pupils visit different places of worship such as temples and synagogues.
• Pupils also learn about different festivals and traditions celebrated by other faiths in lessons and assemblies.
• Pupils learn about the language and culture of France through weekly French lessons.
• Pupils of different faiths within the school actively take part in Christian acts of worship such as masses, assemblies, nativities and reconciliation services.

Rights Respecting

• Rights Respecting behaviour and language is used throughout the school by all members of the school community.
• Pupils take part in Rights Respecting lessons and assemblies.

Race & Equality Awareness Scheme

• The school is part of Redbridge REA scheme and has conducted parent, staff and pupil questionnaires around race awareness as part of the programme. It is in the process of drawing up an action plan to address areas for development identified from the questionnaires.

P.E. Programme

• SSPP takes part in a range of sporting events.  Pupils are taught to show respect, equality, fairness and good sportsmanship when competing with other schools.
• Through our school P.E. schemes such as PPP, iMoves and 5-A-Day, pupils are taught a range of different cultural dances.

Community Cohesion

• SSPP welcomes children and their families from a range of different faiths, cultures and ethnicities.
• Our school ambassadors have organised an International Day to celebrate and learn more about the wide range of different cultures represented in our school community.
• Through class assemblies, pupils learn about each other’s cultures and traditions.
• At school and parish events, a variety of ethnic groups within our school community come together to share and celebrate their different cuisines, costumes, traditions and customs.  
• We hold safeguarding and PREVENT assemblies and workshops to teach children about the importance of respecting other peoples’ religions.

Charity Work

• Pupils and their families collect food for our Harvest Festival celebrations, which is then distributed to Anchor House and Ilford Food Bank.
• Pupils raise money for MacMillan nurses through coffee mornings.
• Pupils also raise money for CAFOD and Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society by hosting cake sales and non-uniform days.

BRITISH CULTURE & HERITAGE

Our children also learn about British Culture and Heritage in geography and history lessons alongside some key English and Reciprocal Reading texts.

Geography topics covered include:

• Countries which make up Britain
• Capital cities and major towns in Britain
• Largest rivers and mountains in Britain
• Further locations in Britain

History topics covered include:

• Significant British people including Guy Fawkes, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria, Samuel Pepys, Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole and Henry VIII.
• The Great Fire of London
• Iron Age Britain
• Stone Age Britain
• Roman Britain
• Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain
• Viking Invasion of Britain
• British Monarchy
• Tudor Britain
• African Slave Trade & the British Empire
• Victorian Britain
• World War I
• World War II (through English texts)

To link in with their topic work, each year group will also focus in more detail on an aspect of British Values. 

British Values Lesson Overview