Values
Fundamental British Values and Protected Characteristics
As a church school, we are committed to ensuring that the children at St Anne’s are constantly developing their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Christian values are at the heart of our Collective Worship and they also permeate all aspects of school life, taught explicitly and referred to by all. These core Christian morals also form a key tool for the development of SMSC as well as British Values.
The St Anne’s Spirit is a key set of values that sits at the core of all that we do at St Anne’s. They are followed by the St Anne’s community and, at their heart, promote respect, honesty, kindness and care for others.
British Values
At St Anne’s, we promote the fundamental British values of:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
Democracy
The principle of democracy is consistently being reinforced in the St Anne’s community. Democratic processes are used for important decisions such as, elections being held for representatives on our School Council and Year 6 House Captains. The principle of democracy is also explored in the History and PSHE curriculums as well as in assemblies.
The rule of law
The importance of rules and laws are introduced to children in a variety of different situations. From class and whole- school behaviour rules, to rules when playing sports, children are taught about the benefits and values of these rules as well as the reasons behind them. Visits from outside agencies, such as the NSPCC and the ambulance service, help to emphasise the importance of this area in the children’s wider lives.
Individual liberty
At St Anne’s, children are actively encouraged to make independent choices and to contribute to school decisions in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Students are also encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms - for example, through open-ended activities, running Collective Worships as part of Junior GenR8 and contributing to pupil voice. Children are advised on how to make independent choices safely, for example through PSHE topics, such as e-safety and RSE. Staff at St Anne’s educate and provide boundaries for children to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. St Anne’s has a robust anti-bullying culture and has in place a comprehensive Therapeutic Behaviour Policy.
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
Respect is a strong part of St Anne’s and is a huge part of the St Anne’s Spirit. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community follow the St Anne’s Spirit and treat each other with respect - this is reiterated through our teaching and learning environments.
Pupils are helped to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life. The school curriculum has been designed to enable pupils to gain an understanding of the wider world through themes which focus on particular countries or regions. For examle, the Year 5 Geography Curriculum compares farming practises around the world.
Pupils are given the opportunity to learn about different faiths and religions through RE lessons and members of local churches are invited to school to share their knowledge and enhance pupils’ understandings of faith. Through PHSE and RE, children are encouraged to develop a respect for the differences between people such as differences of faith, ethnicity, gender or sexuality.
