ST ALDHELM’S ACADEMY BRITISH VALUES STATEMENT
St Aldhelm’s Academy is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom. We have created a clear and rigorous expectation that the whole academy will promote the 5 fundamental British values:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
The academy uses strategies within the National curriculum and beyond to secure learning and understanding of these values. The examples that follow show some of the many ways St Aldhelm’s Academy seeks to embed British values.
Democracy
The principle of democracy is consistently being reinforced at St Aldhelm’s Academy, using democracy processes when making important decisions within the academy:
Written applications, presentations, manifestos and elections conducted for the positions of Head Boy and Head Girl, Prefects, House Captains and Council members.
The rule of law
The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the House, teams, the academy, or the country, are consistently reinforced at St Aldhelm’s Academy.
Pupils are taught the rules and expectations of the academy which are highlighted by our mantra, ‘High Expectations lead to High Achievers.’ Pupils are taught to understand and value the laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. St Aldhelm’s Academy works with community officers, encouraging assemblies, class visits and whole academy events. Authorities such as the Police, Ambulance, RNLI and Fire Service reinforce the need for the rule of law.
Individual liberty
At St Aldhelm’s Academy, pupils are actively encouraged to make independent choices, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Staff at St Aldhelm’s Academy educate and provide boundaries for students to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education.
Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely, for example through e-safety/PSHE lessons assemblies.
St Aldhelm’s Academy has a robust anti-bullying culture and has in place a comprehensive Behaviour for Learning Policy.
Mutual Respect
Respect is a strong part of St Aldhelm’s Academy and is an integral part of our ethos. Pupils learn that their behaviour has an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect and this is demonstrated through all its teaching and learning environments.
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 academy community. Pupils are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school and celebrate festivities throughout the calendar year, so that the whole of the academy community can benefit. The Religious Education aspect within our curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures.
St Aldhelm’s Academy strives endlessly to ensure that its students leave with the strongest foundation of values upon which to build a successful life and a successful contribution to our Society.
