British Values at Ashton Primary School

Preparing children for life in modern Britain

At Ashton Primary School, we actively promote the fundamental British Values of Democracy, the Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect, and Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs.

These values are not taught as isolated concepts. They are woven throughout our curriculum, our bespoke PSHE and RSHE provision, Religious Education, assemblies, enrichment opportunities, pupil leadership, community involvement and the everyday life of our school.

They complement our PROUD values of Purpose, Respect, Optimism, Understanding and Diversity and support our vision of:

“Developing confident, respectful and responsible citizens who are PROUD to live in Preston.”

Our aim is for children to understand their rights and responsibilities, respect and celebrate difference, make informed choices, contribute positively to their communities and leave Ashton well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Democracy

At Ashton, we want children to understand that their voice matters. Pupils learn that democracy is about having the opportunity to express an opinion, listening respectfully to the views of others and taking part in decisions that affect their community.

We promote democracy through:

School Council, where pupils have opportunities to represent the views of their peers and contribute to school improvement.
Votes for Schools, through which pupils regularly explore topical and age-appropriate issues, discuss different viewpoints and cast their own votes.
A wide range of pupil leadership roles, including Head Boy and Head Girl, Eco Warriors, Sports Captains, Reading Ambassadors, Road Safety Ambassadors and the Headteacher's Team.
Opportunities for pupils to contribute their views through questionnaires, curriculum monitoring and pupil voice activities.
Class discussions, debates and PSHE/RSHE lessons in which pupils learn to express and justify their opinions while listening respectfully to others.
Opportunities across the curriculum to consider how democracy has developed and why democratic participation is important.
Encouraging pupils to take increasing responsibility for their classroom, school and wider community.

Children learn that democracy does not mean that everyone will always agree. Instead, it means that everyone should have the opportunity to be heard and that we can disagree respectfully.

The Rule of Law

Children at Ashton learn why rules and laws exist, how they help to keep people safe and why everyone has a responsibility to follow them.

Our high expectations for behaviour help children understand that actions have consequences and that rules enable our school community to remain safe, fair and respectful.

We promote the Rule of Law through:

Clear school expectations and consistent approaches to behaviour.
Our PROUD values, particularly Respect and Understanding.
Restorative approaches, which help pupils reflect on their actions, understand their impact on others and work towards repairing relationships.
PSHE/RSHE learning about rules, rights, responsibilities, safety and making responsible choices.
Safeguarding education, including NSPCC Speak Out Stay Safe and NSPCC PANTS.
Save a Life September, during which pupils develop age-appropriate first-aid knowledge and learn how to respond responsibly in an emergency.
Road safety education and our Road Safety Ambassadors.
Crucial Crew experiences for older pupils.
Opportunities for Year 6 pupils to learn about the justice system through visits from Magistrates.
Online safety education, helping pupils understand that expectations for safe and responsible behaviour also apply in the digital world.

Through these experiences, children develop an understanding that laws protect individuals and communities and that with rights come responsibilities.

Individual Liberty

We want every child at Ashton to develop the confidence and knowledge to make their own informed choices while understanding that the choices they make have consequences for themselves and others.

Within a safe, supportive and inclusive environment, children are encouraged to develop their own interests, express their individuality and become increasingly independent.

We promote Individual Liberty through:

A PSHE/RSHE curriculum which teaches children about choice, consent, relationships, health, wellbeing, safety and personal responsibility.
Teaching pupils how to keep themselves safe, including online, and how and where to seek help.
Opportunities for children to choose from and participate in a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and enrichment activities.
Junior Dukes, through which children progressively develop independence, resilience, responsibility and practical life skills.
Forest School and outdoor learning, providing opportunities to develop independence, confidence, problem-solving and appropriate risk management.
Leadership opportunities which enable pupils to take responsibility and make a difference.
Careers and STEM experiences which raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes about what children can achieve.
Opportunities through art, music, writing, sport and the wider curriculum for children to express their personalities, talents, interests and ideas.
Teaching about physical and mental health so that pupils are increasingly able to make informed decisions about their own wellbeing.

Children learn that liberty comes with responsibility: we are free to make choices, but those choices must respect the rights, safety and freedoms of others.

Mutual Respect

Respect is at the heart of life at Ashton and is one of our core PROUD values.

We teach children that every person has value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Pupils learn to recognise similarities between themselves and others while also understanding, valuing and celebrating difference.

We promote Mutual Respect through:

Our PROUD values and high expectations for relationships and behaviour.
A carefully planned PSHE/RSHE curriculum exploring friendships, families, relationships, equality, inclusion and respectful behaviour.
Teaching about the protected characteristics and challenging stereotypes and discrimination in an age-appropriate way.
Three Culture and Diversity Weeks across the school year.
Events and learning including Black History Month, International Women's Day and Women's History Month, Pride Month and World Autism Awareness Day.
Our Musician of the Week, diverse reading materials and a curriculum which introduces children to people, cultures, experiences and perspectives beyond their own.
Collaborative learning, sport and enrichment activities which develop teamwork, fair play and cooperation.
Restorative approaches which encourage children to listen to one another, understand different perspectives and resolve difficulties respectfully.
Community events, charity work and volunteering which encourage empathy and compassion.
Celebrations such as International Family Day and National Grandparents' Day, recognising the importance and diversity of families within our school community.

Our children learn that respect is not dependent upon people looking, thinking, believing or living in the same way as we do.

Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs

At Ashton, we want children to develop genuine understanding, curiosity and respect for people whose faith, beliefs, culture or worldview may be different from their own.

We recognise that modern Britain is diverse and that understanding one another is an essential part of living successfully together.

We promote this value through:

Our Religious Education curriculum, in which pupils learn about a range of religions, beliefs and worldviews.
Opportunities to explore religious beliefs, practices, traditions, celebrations and places of worship.
Visits to places of worship, including opportunities such as our Year 5 visit to Blackpool Synagogue and Year 6 visit to Preston Buddhist Centre.
Visitors and links with faith communities.
Learning about and recognising significant religious festivals and celebrations, including Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, Ramadan and Eid.
Culture and Diversity Weeks and learning about different communities around the world.
Assemblies, stories, discussions, music and curriculum experiences which broaden children's cultural awareness.
Teaching pupils how to ask thoughtful questions, discuss beliefs respectfully and recognise that people may hold different views.
Challenging prejudice, stereotypes and discriminatory language whenever they arise.

We encourage pupils not simply to tolerate difference, but to develop the knowledge and understanding needed to respect and value it.

British Values Across Our Curriculum

British Values extend far beyond PSHE and assemblies. They are embedded across our curriculum and wider Personal Development Offer.

In History, pupils explore democracy, equality, rights and how society has changed over time. In RE, they encounter different faiths, beliefs and worldviews. Reading introduces pupils to diverse characters, communities and perspectives. Geography develops children's understanding of different cultures and communities and their responsibilities as global citizens. Computing teaches responsible digital citizenship, while PE and sport develop fair play, teamwork and respect for agreed rules.

Through Music and Art, pupils encounter different cultures, traditions and forms of expression, while PSHE/RSHE provides explicit opportunities to explore democracy, equality, protected characteristics, relationships, personal freedom and responsibility.

British Values are therefore part of children's lived experience at Ashton, rather than something encountered only during particular lessons.

Active Citizens – Proud to be Prestonian

Our approach to British Values is also closely connected to our local community.

We want pupils to recognise that citizenship begins with the communities to which they already belong. Children have opportunities to contribute through charitable fundraising, environmental projects, gardening, litter picking, Community Champions Week, Harvest collections, Remembrance activities, local library partnerships and links with community organisations.

Our classes are named after people who were born in Preston or who have made Preston their home, helping pupils develop pride in their city while recognising that people from different backgrounds can make important contributions to a community.

These experiences help children understand that citizenship is active: everyone can contribute, everyone has responsibilities and everyone can make a positive difference.

The Impact of Our British Values Education

By the time pupils leave Ashton Primary School, we want them to understand not only what the fundamental British Values are, but why they matter.

We aim for our pupils to leave us as young people who:

understand that their voice matters and know how to express their views respectfully;
recognise the importance of rules, laws, rights and responsibilities;
have the confidence to make informed and responsible choices;
respect people who are different from themselves;
understand and appreciate a range of faiths, beliefs, cultures and ways of life;
recognise and challenge prejudice and discrimination;
contribute positively to their school and wider community;
understand how to keep themselves and others safe;
demonstrate empathy, responsibility and respect; and
are well prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in modern Britain.

At Ashton Primary School, British Values are taught, modelled, celebrated and lived. Together with our PROUD values, they help us fulfil our commitment to developing confident, respectful and responsible citizens who are PROUD to live in Preston.