British Values

At Knights Enham Junior School we provide…

Inclusive and ambitious learning experiences where our school community feels safe and motivated to achieve their best.

‘Together We Achieve’

All children at the school learn about children's rights through the Rights, Respecting School programme, which is underpinned by the UNCRC (United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child).  The school has been awarded Rights Respecting School (RRS) status and this is reflected in the school ethos and approach to behaviour.  ‘The Knight's Code’ is our behaviour code and this, along with our RRS work provides a fundamental platform for learning about ‘British Values’.  British Values are further explored through our rich and varied; which is taught from the start of the children’s learning journey and reflects in all aspects of teaching and learning throughout that journey. 

The Education Act (2002) stated that schools must promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and ensure that they are actively promoting fundamental British Values. Guidance from the Department for Education (DFE) in November 2014 highlighted British Values as: Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect, Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.  At Knights Enham Junior School, we understand the definitions of British Values to be:

• Democracy - Britain is a democracy; this means that the people in Britain vote for the people who make the laws and decide how the country is run. If we didn’t have a democracy, just one person might be able to make all the laws and that would not be fair.

• The rule of the law - In Britain we have a police force who make sure people do not do the wrong thing and break the law; this means that we are safe.

• Individual liberty - In Britain, as long as we do not break the law, we can live as we choose to and have our own opinions about things.

• Mutual respect - We might not always agree with other people, but we try to show respect for their thoughts and feelings. We can give respect to others and we can expect other people to show us respect.

• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs - In Britain we accept that other people might have different beliefs than ours and they may believe in different religions.

The school promotes British Values by:

• Making sure activities beyond the classroom contribute to pupils’ Social Moral Spiritual and Cultural development
• Encouraging children to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance
• Promote children to consider what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong
• Supporting children to understand and upkeep the rule of English civil and criminal law
• Developing children’s self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence

We support our children to:

• Accept responsibility for their behaviour
• Acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England
• Acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures
• Have respect for other people
• Have respect for democracy and support participation in the democratic processes

We guide our young people to:

• Understand how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
• Appreciate that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety
• Understand that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
• Accept that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated