British Values

British Values were first set out by the government in the ‘Prevent’ strategy in 2011 and were reiterated in 2014 to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

The Duchy School actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. These values are exemplified in our curriculum, through collective worship and through our core values which determine how we lead our lives in school and how we prepare children for their role in society. They are reinforced in the following ways:

Democracy: Everyone has a voice Children have many opportunities for their voices to be heard. We have a school council which is made up of democratically elected members from each class who meet regularly to discuss issues raised in class meetings and in the world today.

Rule of Law: A law put in place to ensure that everyone is treated the same The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class/school (our Golden Rules), or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout the school day, and also through school assemblies. Pupils 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 the Police support to reinforce this message.

Individual Liberty: Freedom to make our own choices Children are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our E-Safety and PSHE lessons as well as through assemblies.  As the children move through the school, they are given more responsibilities and have the freedom to make choices in a supportive environment.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance: To celebrate diversity and treat everyone how we would like to be treated Mutual respect is at the heart of our values. The Duchy School is situated in an area which is not greatly culturally diverse; therefore we place a great emphasis on promoting diversity with the children. Assemblies include stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures. Our RE and PSHE teaching also reinforce this and the children and the school community has a link with a school in Ethiopia.