Universal Spiritual, Moral and Cultural Values
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School has always placed a great emphasis on promoting not only British Values, but values that should be followed and respected universally, as a code of tolerance and compassion. These values can be summarised by the following categories:
- Democracy
- Rule of Law
- Individual Liberty
- Mutual Respect
- Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
In our school we enable pupils to understand these values though a variety of approaches, as well as ensuring that these are simply the way that we live our lives on a day-to-day basis in school. We embed these values in the following ways:
Democracy
There is a high expectation of behaviour in our school, and in order to meet this expectation, each class is asked to write their own Class Charter at the beginning of the academic year. These rules are discussed and agreed by the whole class.
We encourage our pupils to hold elections in school for all posts of responsibility, such as School Council; Sports Leaders and Food Council representatives. The elections are based on pupil votes, and once elected, decisions made at School Council meetings will have to be agreed by the majority, so voting will regularly take place at the meetings. In the case of the Food Council also, pupil voice is strongly represented and opinions acted upon.
In a wider context, our PSHE scheme of work contains sections on democracy, and this is covered thoroughly at an age-appropriate level.
Rule of Law
Children in our school are made aware of our School rules from the minute they join us in Foundation. The reasons for the existence of these rules are also made clear to them. They also think carefully about shaping the behavioural expectations of their class by formulating their own class charter. When any of these rules are broken, children are aware of the consequences and know that there will usually be sanctions for negative behaviour. We believe that this not only provides a basis for an expectation of good standards of behaviour in school, but also prepares our children well for life in wider society, for and abiding by the law of the land as they grow up.
Individual Liberty
Within school, we ensure that our children will always be given choices, to make within a safe and supportive environment. We educate and provide boundaries for our children to enable them to make choices safely. As well as choices to be made in school, such as which clubs to join, and the right decisions to make behaviourally, we also empower children to make the right decisions out of school. Through our PSHE scheme, children are taught about the dangers and consequences of making the wrong decisions. We also further embed this in lessons such as Religious Education and E- Safety.
Mutual Respect
Respect for others is at the centre of life at our School. This can be witnessed in many and varied ways, e.g. the respect that children have for each other, the respect they have for adults and the way the respect is reciprocated from adult to child. Children can also witness adults in school being mutually respectful of each other. Children are also taught about the democratic processes of the country, in order to engender respect for this too. Respect for all religions, not just that of our own faith, is also strongly entrenched.
Mutual respect for each others’ beliefs remains firmly rooted in our work as a cohesive Catholic community in preparing our young people for life in the world and in Britain today. This is expressed through the idea that every individual is unique and made in the image of God and therefore greatly treasured and loved.
Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
The teaching of Religious Education in our school provides pupils with a deep understanding of the Roman Catholic faith. We also give our children an awareness of other religious communities by giving them an awareness of the faith and traditions of their religions.
This tolerance is underpinned in such stories as The Good Samaritan and The Woman at the Well.
Pupils from Catholic Schools are also encouraged to be of service to society and as such they are taught to develop an understanding of their communal obligations, personal aspirations and role as citizens in society and the world.
Prevent Duty 2015
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is fully aware of its responsibility under the Prevent Duty 2015.
The Prevent duty Departmental June 2015
And recognises that its responsibilities to prevent and protect children from extremism, fits within its duty of child protection and safeguarding.
Keeping Children safe in Education July 2015
Extremism can be defined as “holding of extreme opinions: the holding of extreme political or religious views or the taking of extreme actions on the basis of those views”.
For more information on the Prevent Strategy please use the link below.
