British Values Statement

At Crossley Street Primary School, the fundamental British Values are promoted and embedded into all parts of school life. We ensure all members of our school understand the importance of these values and how they are essential to enable us to operate as a community. We hold a British Value themed week, as well as teaching detailed lessons about each British Value. Also, we cover additional learning through our curriculum - particularly during PSHE and MindMate lessons, assemblies and weekly Moral Messages. Every week during assembly, we ask children a Big Question to develop their critical thinking. You will see British Values prominently displayed around school and in every classroom. Here are some examples:

How Democracy flows through Crossley Street Primary School 

At Crossley Street Primary School, we really value the thoughts and opinions of our pupils. We empower our pupils by giving them opportunities to make choices about the things that they believe 

to be important. We promote an understanding of how people can influence decision-making through the democratic process. In school, pupils have their voices heard through pupil questionnaires and regular conversations with subject leaders to seek pupils' views about different aspects of school life. By valuing each ‘voice’ and by listening and responding to that voice, we demonstrate that we support democracy and liberty. 

At the start of each school year, pupils have the opportunity to share their reasons why they wish to be a member of the School Council, a Health and Safety representative and/or an Eco Warrior. Each pupil is then able to vote for their preferred candidate, with the elections based solely on pupil votes. The School Council, Health and Safety and Eco Warriors’ meetings are led by members of school staff and each class has representatives, who take questions from their classes to meetings in order to influence and develop policy and provision. We also have House Captains, Play Leaders and a team of Prefects, including the Head Prefects, from Year 6, who lead as role models for the school. 

From EYFS, pupils learn to listen to and respect the opinions and feelings of others in discussions and learning activities, taking turns, sharing, collaborating and making decisions together. This continues all the way through school, for example, EYFS pupils vote for their class story and Year 4 pupils learn about Ancient Greek democracy. The principle of democracy is also explored in the History, PSHE and RE curriculum, as well as in assemblies. We explore how democracy and the law works in Britain, in contrast to other forms of government in other countries.

How The Rule of Law flows through Crossley Street Primary School 

At Crossley Street Primary School, we have three key values - ‘Be Ready’, ‘Be Kind’ and ‘Be Proud’. We involve pupils in understanding these values and how they relate to them; helping pupils to make appropriate decisions, choices and distinguish right from wrong. Our school Learning Mentor provides support, motivation and guidance to help pupils overcome obstacles to their learning, helping pupils to make the right choice. Pupils are helped to learn to manage their behaviour and take responsibility for their actions. 

Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws and rules; that they govern and protect us; the responsibilities that they hold and the consequences when laws and rules are broken. Pupils understand and appreciate that living under the rule of law and respecting the civil and criminal law of England, is essential for our wellbeing and safety. The importance of laws (or rules) whether they be those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days; when dealing with behaviour, through school assemblies and during PSHE, MindMate and Moral Message lessons and during Emergency Service Visits. 

We have a clearly structured, restorative behaviour policy, which all stakeholders understand and follow. Our Relationship Policy is not primarily concerned with rule enforcement. It is a tool used to promote good relationships, so that people can work together with the common purpose of helping everyone learn. Restorative approaches are based on four key features: respect, responsibility, repair and re-integration. 

From EYFS, pupils are developing and understanding the early language of good choice, bad choice, right and wrong. They learn to manage their own feelings and behaviour within agreed and clearly defined boundaries in our routines and play activities and about dealing with the consequences. Also, supporting behaviour around school, every week, the team of Prefects hand out awards in assembly, to recognise the excellent attitude and/or behaviour of individual pupils throughout school. 

How Mutual Respect flows through Crossley Street Primary School 

Pupils understand that while people may hold different views, we should try to show respect towards them. We teach pupils to respect others, animals, their environment and themselves. We deliver assemblies which uphold traditional values of empathy, respect and tolerance. Our staff effectively model Mutual Respect through their daily, professional, supportive working relationships with one another, parents/carers and pupils. Pupils develop their culture capital through our curriculum themes and the teaching and learning within them. 

Our school Relationship Policy revolves around core values such as ‘Respect’. Pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. We also discuss respect during many of our Moral Messages, through our PSHE, PE and RE curriculum. Our PE curriculum also promotes an attitude of equality and fairness. We take part in several local sporting activities, which helps to instil ‘fair play’ and create a ’team spirit’. For example, pupils have the opportunity to participate in football, skipping, athletics and swimming competitions. 

From EYFS, pupils play, learn and grow together in our classroom activities to learn how to be part of a community - take turns, show respect and have consideration for others’

ideas/opinions. They learn to manage feelings and behaviour and form relationships with others, to treat others as they want to be treated, through circle time activities, Moral Messages and whole school themed weeks, such as Anti-Bullying Week, UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities and Children’s Mental Health Week. 

How Individual Liberty flows through Crossley Street Primary School

Pupils are encouraged to become good and valued citizens who understand their right to be themselves. We do this by supporting each pupil to become as independent as possible and individuals who respect the rights of others and where others will respect them. We endeavour to demonstrate that everyone has rights, including the right to say ‘no’, when appropriate. Some pupils will take responsibility for particular roles and understand that with certain rights comes a level of responsibility, such as our team of Prefects and Play Leaders.

 Learning to do things independently is an important part of learning to understand yourself. We support others by participating in local community, national and charitable events such as, Children in Need, Comic Relief, Anti-Bullying Week, as well as supporting local charities, such as Wetherby and District Foodbank. We believe that by having a caring and helpful environment and by learning to be independent, it can boost and nurture a healthy self-esteem. 

Pupils learn they have the right to believe, act and express themselves freely. They are taught about equality, human rights, choice, consent, individuality, values and principles. We enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence.

How Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs flows through Crossley Street Primary School

We recognise the multi-cultural and multi-faith nature of the United Kingdom and understand the crucial role we play in promoting these values.

We teach pupils about the 7 protected characteristics, to ensure each person is respected and valued equally. Cultural appreciation and the development of cultural capital is part of our curriculum. We place great emphasis on providing encounters and participation in events and celebrations to broaden all pupils’ experiences and awareness of others, including visits to places of worship.

We teach pupils to accept that others have different faiths or beliefs (or none) and these should be accepted, tolerated and respected. This is achieved through enhancing pupils' understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity, including visits to different places of worships. We follow the Leeds agreed syllabus for RE, which provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures. Pupils learn about the values of each religion, often identifying commonality and shared principles. We celebrate different festivals in school and give pupils a voice to share their religious and cultural experiences with their peers. Pupils are also taught about examples of famous people who used courage to challenge the discrimination that was shown towards them, whether culturally or linking to gender. This has also been taught through Black History Month. 

The DfE have published Guidance about the Promotion of Fundamental British Values which the school follows.