British values are an intrinsic part of life at Aston Clinton. We aim to nurture our children on their journey through life so they can grow into safe, caring, democratic, responsible and tolerant adults who make a positive difference to British society and to the world. We encourage our children to be creative, unique, open-minded and independent individuals, respectful of themselves and of others in our school, our local community and the wider world.. We have an exciting and stimulating Primary Curriculum which takes a global approach to learning by introducing themes from the perspective of other people in other countries.

The Department for Education states that there is a need:

“To create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs”.

At Aston Clinton, we actively promote British values in the following ways:

Democracy

Democracy is embedded throughout our school curriculum.  Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern for each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.  Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Councils and regular pupil voice activities.  The elections of the House Captains and School Councillors are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action.

Our House Captains

Rule of Law
The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced.   Each class also discusses right from wrong and sets their own class charters that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.  Our pupils are taught the values and reasons behind laws; that they govern and protect us; the responsibilities this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.

Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment.  As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make appropriate choices, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education.  Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to use these safely.  Examples of this can be clearly seen in our online-safety and PSHE lessons.  Whether it is through choice of challenge; how they record or through participation in our numerous extra- curricular activities, our pupils are given the freedom to make choices and encouraged to act responsibly and show initiative.

Mutual Respect

Respect is one of our core values, and we define this as simply, “treating others as we wish to be treated.” This is evidenced in the charity work and community service projects our pupils undertake for the benefit of people who are experiencing the effects of food poverty, loneliness and isolation.  Our zero-tolerance approach to bullying and the strong sense of community is felt by all our pupils.

Pupils are encouraged to communicate openly and honestly, and to listen to – and respect – the views of others, even in instances where disagreements arise. We expect all pupils in leadership roles, as well as our staff members, to model exemplary behaviour and conduct themselves in a manner that commands the respect worthy of someone in a position of authority. 

Assemblies and class work are designed to highlight the diverse nature of British society and the right for each person to be respected for their choices. We teach pupils that they should never judge a person, and encourage them to become compassionate, open-minded and accepting.

Tolerance of Those With Different Faiths And Beliefs
Our core value of Care ensures tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs.  Aston Clinton School enhances pupils’ understanding of different faiths and beliefs through religious education studies; P.S.H.E. work; visits to other schools in order to participate in celebrations such as Diwali; welcoming visitors from other schools in order to celebrate differences and enjoying a depth of study; Workshops from Show Racism the Red Card in Year 5.  Beliefs, traditions and customs from around the world are studied, with visitors being invited into our school to enrich and extend understanding.  Through these activities our pupils gain an enhanced understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.