Promoting British Values

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Horizon Community College is committed to serving its community. We recognise the multi-cultural, multi-faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom. We also understand the vital role we have in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.

We follow equal opportunities guidance which guarantees that there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar. We are dedicated to preparing students for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum and ensuring that we promote and reinforce British values to all of our students.

The Government emphasises that schools are required to ensure that key ‘British Values’ are taught in all UK schools.

The five British Values are:

Democracy
The rule of law
Individual liberty
Mutual respect and Tolerance

Democracy

Students grow in knowledge and understanding of democracy by

We encourage students to become involved in decision-making processes and ensure they are listened to in school e.g. School Council, Form representatives, Student Survey, Student Voice Week, voting element in Votes for Schools, Make your mark – BYC Election.

· We include in the curriculum, information on the advantages and disadvantages of democracy and how it works in Britain e.g. when considering periods of history when democracy was not as fully developed as it is now, including current affairs such as the invasion of Ukraine.

· We run an afterschool debating club so students can discuss and debate important topics.

· We actively encourage students to express their views e.g. through Votes for School in form period, through a variety of lessons and topics. They are provided opportunities to present work and opinions.

· We model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged e.g. through our interactions with students and the school’s behaviour system, in assemblies and in citizenship lessons, through promotion of our core values.

The rule of law

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at Horizon Community College.

Students are taught the rules and expectations of the College. Students are taught the value and the reasons behind laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.

Students grow in knowledge and understanding of the Rule of Law by

· They learn about and follow the College Behaviour for Learning Policy

· They learn about aspects of the law and how it applies to young people in Citizenship form period activities and assemblies.

· We encourage students to reflect on their moral choices and to takes responsibility for the consequences – use of restorative practice

· Ensure students’ buy-in to the College. Students recognise the importance of working together to ensure every member of our community is loved, listened to, challenged and inspired.

· We plan assemblies/visits from services such as South Yorkshire police, fire and rescue service. This also includes involvement with the Community Police Officers for small group work sessions

Individual Liberty

Students are actively encouraged to make independent choices, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Staff at Horizon educate and provide boundaries for students to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Bullying and peer-on-peer abuse of any kind is unacceptable at our college.

Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely, for example through Citizenship lessons & our Personal Development programme including calendared themed awareness weeks.

Students grow in knowledge and understanding of Individual Liberty by

· Pupils are encouraged to be independent learners who make choices about how they learn, this is promoted through our Core Values and ‘Character in the classroom’ initiative and also our ‘Student enrichment passport’

· Students are given opportunities to make choices which affect their lives

· Students have the opportunity to attend a careers fair and receive 1-1careers guidance throughout KS4.

· Students complete a termly survey – student safety and well-being

· Support students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence e.g. through all areas of teaching and learning in school encouraging them to become good and valued citizens.

· Reflecting on their own experiences of freedom and learning about God’s gift of free will in RE lessons

· We encourage students to take responsibility for their behaviours, as well as knowing their rights. This is promoted through assemblies and our core values.

· Challenge stereotypes e.g. through citizenship curriculum and assemblies and themed awareness weeks.

· We Implement a strong anti-bullying culture, as promoted in our policy for Anti-bullying and harassment.

· Support others by participating in a wide variety of charitable fund raising events for Limbo.

· Offer clubs and awareness events such as Pride Club, Mental health awareness, antibullying week. To also educate and celebrate a large range of religious events through the student bulletin.

Mutual Respect

Respect is one of our Core Values at Horizon Community College. Students learn that their behaviours can influence their own rights and those of others. All members of the College community are expected to treat each other with respect and this is reiterated through our expectations and core values.

Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum by providing the opportunity for students to express their views in a safe environment.

Students grow in knowledge and understanding of mutual respect by

· Engaging in a variety of charity work for our selected charity – Limbo

· Learning about issues such as sexism, racism and homophobia in citizenship

· Having a strong anti-bullying ethos

· Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour e.g Identification of discrimination and promotion of equal opportunities regardless of sexual orientation, race or gender.

· Discuss differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations, such as Looked After Children e.g. through our citizenship curriculum, student bulletin, debate club, pride club, etc.

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

This is achieved though equipping students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving the opportunities to experience such diversity within the College community. The RE curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures.

Students grow in knowledge and understanding of tolerance of different faiths and beliefs by

· Studying different religions in RE including Sikhism, Judaism and Islam

· Studying moral issues from a range of different perspectives, including non-religious views, in RE

· Learning about Jesus’s example of respect for those of other faiths eg Good Samaritan

· Opportunities to visit places of worship and importance to other religions

· Supporting an awareness and understanding of religious celebrations through student bulletin and form period.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION