British Values
Staindrop Academy is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom. It also understands the vital role it has 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.
It follows 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. Staindrop Academy is dedicated to preparing students for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British values to all its students.
The Government emphasises that schools are required to ensure that key ‘British Values’ are taught in all UK schools. The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy.
We uphold and promote the following British Values:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
The examples that follow show some of the many ways Staindrop Academy seeks to embed British values.
Democracy
The principle of democracy is consistently being reinforced by the Staindrop Academy ethos, with democratic processes being used for important decisions within the school community, for instance, elections being held for Head Boy and Girl. Our elected Student Voice group play a strong role in school; they are elected by their class peers and are involved in making our school a better place. The pupils also host a regular Students’ Forum with our local MP to discuss issues related to local youth. Student questionnaires, surveys and interviews are also conducted regularly as part of our QA process and we believe that this active participation will sow the seeds for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in their future.
The principle of democracy is embedded in the curriculum as well as in form time and assemblies.
The rule of law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced by the Staindrop Academy ethos. Students are taught the rules and expectations of the school and these are constantly reinforced through assemblies and our climate for learning. The involvement of our students in the writing of our Academy’s rules, based on the Rights Respecting School agenda, helps them to understand the need for rules.
The rule of law is also embedded in the curriculum and the extended curriculum. 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.
Individual liberty
At Staindrop Academy, students are actively encouraged to make independent choices, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Staff at Staindrop Academy work hard to provide a positive ethos; they educate and provide boundaries for students to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Students are encouraged to set personal targets and choose tasks in class which challenge them, giving them more freedom to determine their own success. We offer a range of extra-curricular activities which students have the right to choose from, based on their interests. 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 e-safety.
Staindrop Academy also reinforces the value of individual liberty explicitly within the curriculum and extended curriculum.
Mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
Respect and tolerance are a fundamental part of Staindrop Academy’s philosophy and are at the core of our school life. Students learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect and this is reiterated through our teaching and learning environments. Mutual respect and tolerance is embraced throughout the curriculum by providing the opportunity for pupils to express their views in a safe environment.
We equip students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity through a culturally rich and varied curriculum.
Staindrop 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.
