HAYESFIELD GIRLS’ SCHOOL
British Values
Promoting British Values at Hayesfield Girls’ School
The Government set out their definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy. We agree with the Department for Education’s five-part definition of British Values:
Democracy
Student voice is significant in regards to life at Hayesfield. Our student elected School Council plays a strong role in our school. They are elected by their peers and are involved in making the school a better place to learn. Students also have a great amount of input in regards to what and how they learn, which promotes student voice. For example, our students regularly form part of the interviewing panels for new appointments to the school and are an integral part of our internal Faculty Review System. Both allow them to shape the way the school is moving and to have an input into what makes a successful Faculty.
We also have a very active House System where, again, Student Heads of House are elected by their peers into a role that has a focus on creating a ‘one school’ ethos, bringing students together across the age range and across the campuses.
Our students lead our work on the UNICEF Rights Respecting School Award, thus raising awareness of Children and Young People’s rights across the world as per the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and embedding this across the school.
We strongly believe that the active participation of our students in these and other positions of responsibility and leadership will sow the seeds for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in the future.
The Rule of Law
Our students will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives. We want them to understand that whether these laws govern the class, the school, the neighbourhood or the country, they are set for good reasons and must be adhered to.
This understanding of the importance of rules will be consistently reinforced through assemblies, in our expectations and within our curriculum. The involvement of our students in the creation of the Student Charter helps them to understand the reasons behind the rules and the consequences if they are broken.
Through philosophical enquiry in our Philosophy for Learning lessons, we allow opportunity to debate and discuss the reasons for laws so that our students can recognise the importance of these for their own protection.
Throughout the year we welcome visits from members of the wider community including police, war veterans and members of different Faith communities. We believe that clear explanations and real life stories emphasise the importance of the rule of law for our students.
Individual Liberty
We invest a great deal of time in creating a positive ethos in our school, so that all members of our community are in a safe environment where choices and freedoms are encouraged. In lessons, learning objectives are routinely used to give students the opportunity to set themselves personal challenges. We encourage our students to aim high and to choose the task that will challenge them, giving them more freedom to determine their own learning.
At Hayesfield, we are proud of our ‘Period 6’ provision offering a range of enrichment, extension support opportunities which students have the freedom to choose from, based on their interests. Through our E-Safety, Philosophy for Learning, Tutorial and PSHE sessions, we educate our students on their rights and personal freedoms as well as supporting them in recognising how to exercise these freedoms safely. We promote the UNICEF Rights Respecting School values, have been awarded International School status by the British Council and we are a Global Learning Expert Centre. These give our whole community the opportunity to explore international issues and rights.
We believe that valuing choice and freedom in daily school life will foster a value for individual liberty as our students embark upon their adult lives.
Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is at the core of our school life. Students learn to treat each other and staff with great respect. This is evident when walking around the school and in the classrooms. Visitors to our school are met with great courtesy from our students and are given tours of the school by them.
Our students are eager to talk about our school and are eager to meet with prospective parents, new students and other visitors to the school.
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
At Hayesfield, we offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and respected and visitors from these faiths are welcomed into the school. We strongly believe that tolerance is gained through knowledge and understanding. Our students are able to experience this first hand by taking part in a variety of overseas exchanges and the immersion of students from our International partners into Hayesfield. Through our curriculum and the routines of our daily school life, we strive to demonstrate tolerance and help our students to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens who can build a better Britain for the future.
At Hayesfield, students will encounter these principles throughout everyday school life. Ofsted has judged the Behaviour and Safety of our students to be outstanding. This is a clear reflection of our routine promotion of democratic systems, respect for the law, each other, for those who differ from us and for our encouragement of each member of our community in Achieving Ambitions.
