British Values

Juniper Hill is committed to actively promoting British values to ensure our pupils leave school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

The government emphasises that all schools should ensure that they teach pupils about British values of:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

We take every opportunity to promote these values, and to ensure our pupils:

• Understand the democratic process and how citizens can have a say in decision making.
• Recognise the advantages of living under the rule of law and how law is essential for a safe society.
• Understand that there is a separation of power between the executive and the judiciary and why it exists.
• Understand that the freedom to hold varying faiths and beliefs, including no religious faith, is protected in law, and that it is vital to accept people who have different faiths and beliefs without discriminating against them in any way.
• Value the importance of identifying and combatting extremism.
   

We promote British values both within and beyond the classroom and these values are at the heart of our ethos. Here are just some of the ways our school seeks to embed the teaching of British values.

Democracy

Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our Juniper Cabinet, pupil questionnaires, and pupil voices. Children are elected onto our Juniper Cabinet in the autumn term by their peers. 

The rule of law

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are encouraged to come up with their own classroom codes of conduct which allow discussion of right and wrong each year. 

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. 

Individual liberty

Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment.  Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and we advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our online safety and PSHE lessons. Whether it be through choice of challenge, or how they record their work, or participation in our extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. Wherever possible we give pupils the opportunity to make the right choice when they have made a mistake with their behaviour, we teach the importance of consequences and relational repair. 

Mutual respect

One of our 6 school values is ‘respect’, pupils are part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. We have written the behaviours that show respect at Juniper:

Treating people with courtesy, politeness and kindness, showing empathy towards others.

Listening carefully to what other people have to say.

Looking after the school environment.

Children are rewarded with school badges for showing respectful behaviour. 

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. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. Pupils also participate in cultural themed lessons e.g. Diwali and Chinese New Year.