SMSC & British Values

Assembly Plan

Click on the link below to view our assembly schedule:

British Values

At John Wood School & Nursery we uphold and teach pupils about the British Values which are defined as:

  • democracy
  • rule of law
  • individual liberty
  • mutual respect
  • tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

These values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) and Religious Education (RE)We also teach the British Values through planning and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum.

The academy takes opportunities to actively promote British Values through assemblies and whole school systems and structures such as electing and running a successful School Council. We also actively promote the British values through ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery includes real opportunities for exploring these values. Actively promoting British Values also means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.

At John Wood School & Nursery, these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy:

Democracy is an important value at our academy. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our School Council. The elections of members of the School Council are based on pupil votes.

The children have opportunities to learn about democracy through assemblies, which are often based on relevant picture books, as well as visits and workshops from relevant members of the community such as our local M.P. Sarah Jones and the Major of Croydon.

The Rule of Law:

The importance of laws and rules, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days. Children are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Metropolitan Police, Croydon Hate Crime Team, Croydon Gangs Team, Police Cadets, London Fire Brigade, London Air Ambulance, Lifeguards etc. are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message.

Individual Liberty:

Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices at our academy, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we provide boundaries for our children to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and planned curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-Safety teaching and PSHCE lessons. Pupils are given the freedom to make choices, e.g. signing up for extra-curricular clubs, choose the level of challenge in some lessons and are becoming increasingly more involved in child–led learning, planning and delivering child-led assemblies such as those run by our Eco-Committee, School Council or Digital Leaders.

Mutual Respect:

Part of our academy ethos and behaviour policy are based around core Christian values such as ‘respect’ and ‘responsibility’ and these values determine how we live as a community. Assemblies are based on our core values (ambition, independence, kindness, perseverance and respect) and are central to how we expect everyone to go about their life at our academy. Children and adults alike, including visitors, are challenged if they are disrespectful in any way. Values are highly visible around the school and can be seen in posters, displays and classroom environments.

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:

This is achieved through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity in our local community, Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHCE.  Different cultures, values and beliefs are celebrated and discussed throughout our curriculum such as celebrating Black History Month and ensuring our English lessons are based around diverse texts.