At Ark John Archer, British values are promoted in much of what we do throughout the school year, including:

  • Sessions in targeted and age appropriate curriculum topics
  • Religious Education & RSHE teaching
  • Clubs, learning excursions and enrichment activities
  • Pupils taking an active role in leadership, such as class ambassadors, house captains, environmental officers and librarians.
  • Assemblies and reflection opportunities that reflect the school values

 

Our local community

As a school, we value and celebrate the diverse heritages of everybody at Ark John Archer and within the wider school community. Alongside this, we value and celebrate being part of our local community and Britain. In general terms, this means that we learn about and celebrate and traditions and various cultural days where we learn about the traditions of different cultures in our community.

We also value and celebrate national events, Remembrance Day, and work closely with our local PCC.

Furthermore, children learn about being part of Britain from different specific perspectives within their curriculum topics, for example:

  • Geography: where we ensure that children have a better understanding of what Britain is, learning more about its capital cities and counties, its rivers and mountains, where Britain is in relation to the rest of Europe and other countries in the world.
  • History: Britain and its influence in modern times is woven into our thematic topics.
  • Music: study of British composers and their influence worldwide.
  • Art/ DT: study of how British artists and designers influence others.

 

Democracy

Children, parents and staff have many opportunities for their voices to be heard at Ark John Archer. Democracy is central to how we operate.

An example is the role of our Class Ambassadors and House Captains. The election of these leaders reflects our British electoral system and demonstrates democracy in action: candidates prepare to talk to their peers about their vision, pupils consider characteristics important for an elected representative, pupils vote and a leader is elected.

Each class are assigned two Class Ambassdors and each house has a Team Captain and Vice Captain. The elected leaders act as role models for their peers. They meet regularly to discuss issues raised by different classes and to work on projects both in and out of school, such as supporting local charities and inititaives within the community.

See below for the job description shared with House Captains prior to election.

House Captain Application Form

House Captain Job Description

 

Rules and Laws

The importance of rules and laws, whether they be those that govern our school or our country, are referred to and reinforced often, such as in assemblies and when reflecting on behaviour choices. At the start of the school year, each class discusses and sets its own class rules, a set of principles that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.

Our pupils can demonstrate what our rules would look like in their daily actions. These values are reinforced in other ways:

  • Visits from authorities such as the police and fire service
  • During Religious Education, when rules for particular faiths are thought about
  • During other school subjects, where there is respect and appreciation for different rules – in a sports lesson, for example.

 

Individual Liberty

Alongside rules and laws, we promote freedom of choice and the right to respectfully express views and beliefs. Through the provision of a safe, supportive environment and empowering education, we provide boundaries for our young pupils to make choices safely; for example:

  • Choices about what learning challenge or activity to do
  • Choices around the participation in extra-curricular activities
  • Choices about lunchtime options

Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are taught how to exercise these safely, such as in our e-safety, drug, relationship and PSHE lessons. We develop talk in our classrooms as a way of supporting our pupils to better express their views, concerns and preferences.

 

Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Mutual respect is implicit in our aims and ethos.

Our pupils know and understand that it is expected that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have, and to everything, whether it is a school resource or a religious belief.

Children learn that their behaviour choices have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community should treat each other with respect.

Specific examples of how we enhance pupils understanding and respect for different faiths and beliefs are:

  • Religious education and other lessons where we might develop awareness and appreciation of other cultures.
  • Reading spine that reflects different cultures, themes and talking points.
  • Reflection opportunities to discuss current affairs both on a global and local scale.
  • Addressing misconceptions, challenging prejudices and stereotypes through respectful discussion.