British Values
Venturers' Academy actively promotes Equalities and British Values as defined by the Government in 2011 and again in 2014.
The British values fall into the following broad areas;
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Democracy
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The rule of law
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Individual liberty
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Mutual respect
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Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
Promotion of these values is in order to ensure that young people leave school understanding the importance of respect, and are prepared for life in modern Britain.
In 2014 Lord Nash said, “A key part of our plan for education is to ensure children become valuable and fully rounded members of society who treat others with respect and tolerance, regardless of background.”
Venturers' Academy has also developed its own core values that are taught with and complement the British Values. These are Kindness, individual and responsibility.
The British Values and the School Values are promoted through the curriculum, collective worship and extra curriculum activities.
There is a strong school ethos for providing relevant activities beyond the classroom to ensure pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is met.
The school has a well-established sense of community and pupils, families, staff and Governors feel supported by effective relationships throughout the school.
Here are some of the ways British Values are embedded in the school community.
Democracy
EYFS
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Understanding of self as part of group/class is taught explicitly through Attention and Engagement lessons.
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This includes learning about fairness and beginning to accept short waits while others have a go before you. Children grow to enjoy celebrating each other’s participation in activities and so learning that they each are a valued member of the small community of their class group.
Primary school
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Understanding of self as part of group/class is taught explicitly through Attention and Engagement lessons.
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Class votes for reward activities or trips.
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Pupils decide on class rules.
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Reparative tasks as completed to ‘make things better’, when things have gone wrong. Staff support students throughout this restorative process, promoting self-reflection, as appropriate.
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Each class votes in a representative for the School Council.
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PSHE curriculum
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Students form part of the interview process for new staff.
Secondary school
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Each class votes in a representative for the School Council.
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PSHE curriculum
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Class votes for reward activities or trips.
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Pupils decide on class rules.
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Class votes to deicide winners of competitions e.g. best pumpkin carving etc.
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Assemblies on democracy.
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School Code of Conduct displayed in every learning space in a way that our young people can access. This lists what positive behaviours are expected. Students help draw this up.
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Students form part of the interview process for new staff.
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Some students take part in Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Post 16 college
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Each class votes in a representative for the School Council.
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PSHE curriculum covers the debating of important topics, and appreciating the ‘majority vote’
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Students form part of the interview process for new staff.
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Some students sit on the interview panel for new teachers.
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Some students take part in Duke of Edinburgh Award.
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‘Activities week’ is student-led; students choose, vote on and plan what they’d like to do.
The Rule of Law
EYFS
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Beginning to understand playground rules and class rules
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Students and/ or parents sign home school agreement
Primary school
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PSHE curriculum
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Understanding own rights and the need for playground and class rules.
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Beginning to understand that there are laws to protect them in society and if they are broken there are consequences.
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Visits to the Police station in ‘heroes’ topic and our ‘people who help us in the community’ Topic
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Reparative tasks as completed to ‘make things better’, when things have gone wrong. Staff support students throughout this restorative process, promoting self-reflection, as appropriate.
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Students and/ or parents sign home school agreement.
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All students take part in sports day activities.
Secondary school
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PSHE curriculum
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Laws specific to their age group – e.g. laws about consent and sexual activity, drugs, alcohol, film & game classifications.
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Understanding own rights and the need for playground and class rules.
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Understanding own responsibility to stick to rules.
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Understand that there are laws to protect them in society and if they are broken, there are consequences.
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Understanding what to do if they think someone is breaking a rule or law.
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School Code of Conduct displayed in every learning space in a way that our young people can access. This lists what positive behaviours are expected.
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An assembly on this value.
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Students and/ or parents sign home school agreement.
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All students take part in sports day activities.
Post 16 college
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Students and/ or parents sign home school agreement.
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Code of conduct and behavioural expectations along with rewards/consequences are discussed during introductory week.
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Visits from the local police department to discuss issues around law & order.
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Law & order content integrated within PSHE curriculum.
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Student involvement in formulating Post-16 specific rules around behaviour and working practice.
Individual Liberty
EYFS
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Speech and language therapy for expressive communication skills.
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Making choices embedded in daily activities such as choosing lunch and during choosing time.
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Topics – Ourselves & What I like to do.
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Successes celebrated termly through celebration assemblies.
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Behaviour choices – choosing to make the right choice in a school where behaviour is supported by the Team Teach model, behaviour support plan, Zones of regulation.
Primary school
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PSHE curriculum
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Speech and language therapy for expressive communication skills.
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Making choices embedded in daily activities I.e. lunch choices, choosing time.
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Topics – RE: Who are we?, Life journeys
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Beginning to understand that sometimes, as a child, some decisions are made on our behalf, in our best interests.
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Choices being embedded throughout the day, as appropriate.
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Unsafe or disruptive choices reflected on by staff and student, as appropriate.
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Successes celebrated termly through celebration assemblies.
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Behaviour choices – choosing to make the right choice in a school where behaviour is supported by the Team Teach model, behaviour support plan, Zones of regulation.
Secondary school
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KS3 PSHE curriculum
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An assembly on this Value.
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Learning about UN Rights of the Child Charter.
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Learning about choices and options. For example, in what to do in free time, in selecting Options for subjects in Key Stage 4 and in making decisions about next steps after Secondary.
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Understanding that with liberty comes responsibility.
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School Code of Conduct displayed in every learning space in a way that those young people can access. This lists what positive behaviours are expected.
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Successes celebrated termly through celebration assemblies.
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Behaviour choices – choosing to make the right choice in a school where behaviour is supported by the Team Teach model, behaviour support plan, Zones of regulation.
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Relationship choices – choosing and saying ‘No’ through the delivery of So Safe.
Post 16 college
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Successes celebrated termly through celebration assemblies.
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Behaviour choices – choosing to make the right choice in a school where behaviour is supported by the Team Teach model, behaviour support plan, Zones of regulation.
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Relationship choices – choosing and saying ‘No’ through the delivery of So Safe.
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Community visits and projects, to help individuals understand their role in the community and the individual liberties that need to be respected within a community.
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Class jobs.
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Work experience – increasing independence.
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Travel training – increasing independence.
Mutual Respect
EYFS
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Zones of regulation – morning and afternoon check ins.
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PSHE curriculum
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Turn taking and sharing in Attention Autism sessions
Primary school
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PSHE curriculum
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Topics – Valuing differences
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Reparative tasks as completed to ‘make things better’, when things have gone wrong. Staff support students throughout this restorative process, promoting self-reflection, as appropriate.
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Children learn that the choices that they make have an impact on those around them.
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Zones of regulation – morning and afternoon check ins.
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RE topic – values and how we affect others
Secondary school
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KS3 PSHE curriculum
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Volunteer work & team work Duke of Edinburgh Award.
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Team work in lessons.
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Giving feedback to others on their performance.
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Awards and certificates in assemblies to celebrate each other’s achievements and skills builds respect.
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The way that staff model respectful behaviour towards each other and to younger people builds respect across the whole school population.
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An assembly on the Value.
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School Code of Conduct displayed in every learning space in a way that those young people can access. This lists what positive behaviours are expected. Students know to follow the code means they are respecting each other and the school.
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Lego therapy interventions in class
Post 16 college
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Understanding consequences and rewards with a focus on natural consequences.
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Team working focus in Enterprise.
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Understanding each other’s differences and how to respect one another in PSHE.
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Developing working skills via work experience – respecting authority in the workplace and the rights of colleagues.
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PSHE curriculum enables students to talk openly about their difficulties and understand/support one another.
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
EYFS
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Topic – Festivals around the world
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RE Curriculum
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Assemblies
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Ensuring that resources used e.g. books and toys reflect the multi-cultural nature of Britain
Primary school
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PSHE curriculum
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RE Curriculum
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Celebration of religious festivals
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RE creation stories
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Assemblies
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Ensuring that resources used e.g. books and toys reflect the multi-cultural nature of Britain
Secondary school
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KS3 PSHE curriculum
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KS3 RE topics Morals and religious stories, Places of Worship, Religious beliefs, Non-religious world-views, Creation Stories and Gods around the world.
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An assembly on the Value.
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Assemblies and other learning that celebrate different faiths and customs within the UK and across the world.
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Positive examples from across different faiths and beliefs used as part of lessons and learning.
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Proper consideration of needs of those where practices relating to faith are carefully considered. For example, during Ramadan.
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Ensuring that resources used in lessons reflect the multi-cultural nature of modern Britain
Post 16 college
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PSHE curriculum – covers a variety of different faiths, cultures and moral values.
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RE trips to places of worship.
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Themed PSHE sessions around religious festivals, throughout the year.
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Employability skills – respecting those of different faiths in the workplace.
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Ensuring that resources used in lessons reflect the multi-cultural nature of modern Britain
Equalities
What is the Public Sector Equalities Duty?
The single Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) came into effect in April 2011 as a result of the Equality Act 2010. It requires public bodies to promote equality and replaced three pre-existing duties relating to disability, race and gender equality.
The PSED applies to all maintained and independent schools, including academies, and maintained and non-maintained special schools.
Protected Characteristics
The Department for Education (DfE) has published non-statutory advice that sets out schools’ obligations under the PSED.
Paragraph 5.1 explains that the PSED extends to the following protected characteristics:
Race, disability, gender, sex, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment
Three Main Elements
Paragraph 5.1 of the document explains that the PSED has three main elements. In carrying out their functions, public bodies are required to have due regard to the need to:
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Eliminate discrimination and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010
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Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
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Foster good relations across all characteristics, and between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
We meet the PSED in the following ways:
We eliminate discrimination by:
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Adoption of the Venturers Trust Equality Statement
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Our behaviour policy ensures that all children feel safe at school and addresses prejudicial bullying
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Reporting, responding to and monitoring all racist incidents
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Regularly monitoring the curriculum to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of our pupils and that it promotes respect for diversity and challenges negative stereotyping
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Teaching is of the highest quality to ensure children reach their potential and all pupils are given equal entitlement to success
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Tracking pupil progress to ensure that all children make rapid progress, and intervening when necessary
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Ensuring that all pupils have the opportunity to access extra-curricular provision
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Listening to and monitoring views and experiences of pupils and adults to evaluate the effectiveness of our policies and procedures.
We advance equality of opportunity by:
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Using the information we gather to identify underachieving groups or individuals and plan targeted intervention
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Ensuring participation of parents/carers and pupils in school development
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Listening to parents/carers
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always Listening to pupils
We foster good relations by:
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Ensuring that Venturers' Academyis seen as a community school within our local community
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Ensuring that equality and diversity are embedded in the curriculum and our assemblies
Due Regard
Paragraph 5.4 of the DfE’s advice says that ‘due regard’ has been defined as giving “relevant and proportionate consideration to the duty”.
For schools, this means:
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Decision makers must be aware of the duty to have due regard when making a decision or taking an action, and must assess whether it may have implications for people with particular protected characteristics
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Schools should consider equality implications before and at the time that they develop policy and take decisions, not as an afterthought, and they need to keep them under review on a continuing basis
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The PSED has to be integrated into the carrying out of the school’s functions, and the analysis necessary to comply with the duty has to be carried out seriously, rigorously and with an open mind
Specific Duties
Equality Objectives
Schools are expected to report on how they meet the PSED and this includes setting objectives (which should be reviewed at least every four years). At Venturers' Academy, we are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers, irrespective of race, gender, disability, belief, religion or socio-economic background.
In order to further support pupils, raise standards and ensure inclusive teaching, the Partnership Trust have set the following equality objectives:
Achievement:
We are committed to improving the attainment and raising the aspiration of all groups of pupils
Teaching and Learning:
We will ensure that our curriculum promotes understanding between different groups of people, cultures and societies, tackles stereotypes, challenges pupil’s perceptions and promotes British values.
Behaviour and safety:
We will maintain a rigorous anti-bullying stance so that all pupils are protected from harassment and discrimination, and deal with the use of discriminatory, homophobic or otherwise offensive language in line with our behaviour policy.
Leadership and Management:
Consistent application of our policies and procedures, ensuring that our systems for recruiting, retaining and managing staff support all those in groups protected by the Equalities Act.
We will endeavour to raise levels of parental and pupil engagement in learning and school life, across all activities, including regular attendance.
