Richard Alibon is a friendly, caring school community committed to achieving the highest standards and sharing the success of each individual. While we are a large school, every child is important to us. We want all our children to have a strong voice. We want each child to be safe and happy at school, to grow in confidence and reach their highest potential both academically and also as a citizen within our community. We want to ensure that each child has a real sense of ambition about what they can and want to achieve. Sometimes learning can be difficult but we aim to instil in each child a sense of perseverance and the determination to do well and overcome any difficulties. We work hard to ensure that all our children become increasingly confident during their time with us and return to school eagerly each day; it is important for us that our children enjoy their time at school; happiness is one of our core school values.
We know that by placing an emphasis on top quality teaching and learning in a rich, lively environment we are creating a strong foundation on which our children will learn, thrive and achieve.
We aim to help children develop enquiring minds and a love of learning; curiosity is one of our core school values. These first years of a child’s schooling sets them up for a successful life of learning in our fast changing global society. We want children to leave us with a good understanding of the world they live in; Dagenham, London and the wider world. We want them to cherish their own family values but also learn about and respect other cultures, beliefs and religions; respect is one of our core school values; a sense of self-respect a healthy respect for others and things around them.
We expect all our pupils to observe our school rules. The behaviour of our children is good and this is often remarked upon by visitors. In our school, children learn to live in a community, to work and play with others, to share and keep rules made for the common good. Creating good citizens underlies everything that we do. Good citizens that leave us with a strong set of values and really understand our six core values of:
We believe that our values are the fundamental building blocks for our children to grow and develop as responsible adults and British citizens.
The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy. These values are:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.
Our curriculum is designed to ensure that our children have the opportunity to learn and reflect on the British values that underpin our lives.
Promoting British Values
The Department for Education have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
Schools, through their curriculum, are legally bound to actively promote fundamental British values. Our Government have defined these values as follows
How does Richard Alibon Primary School ‘actively promote’ British values?
- We promote the core values of the school and British values throughout all of our work; they underpin all that we do and help secure a good understanding of our core values by children of all ages.
- We challenge pupils, staff or parents who express opinions contrary to the core values of the school.
Democracy – what do we do?
- We provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, English law, public institutions and services through our PHSE curriculum.
- Our focus on current affairs shows children at key points in the year how democracy works
- Through the work of the School Council we empower pupils to become involved in decision making processes and ensure they are listened to in school. School Councillors are elected solely on pupil votes and this teaches pupils how they can influence decision-making through a democratic process. The school council has real power and a budget to get things changed in school and so pupils can see that the democratic process works to support them
- We model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged through our Behaviour and lunchtime policies.
Rule of law – what do we do?
- We provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, English law through our PHSE curriculum and link this to their everyday lives through the consistent reinforcement of our own school rules, values and expectations.
- We ensure school rules and expectations are fair and are consistently explained and reinforced to all pupils so that they understand the basis on which the rules are made.
- Our focus on current affairs shows children at key points in the year how democracy works to bring about new laws and change existing ones
- We use assemblies to help pupils to understand that rules and laws provide safety, stability and security and protect individuals and groups within our school and society.
Individual liberty – what do we do?
- We support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. Confidence is one of our core school values
- We encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights.
- We teach and model freedom of speech through pupil participation, while ensuring protection of vulnerable pupils.
- We challenge stereotypes, prejudice and inequality so our children can see and importance of individual liberty and as importantly experience it at school
- We deliver a very inclusive learning environment so all children can access the widest range of activities and thinking.
- The school implements a strong anti-bullying culture.
Respect and tolerance – what do we do?
- We celebrate our achievements, differences and cultural diversity through all school forums including in assemblies.
- As part of our RE curriculum we organise visits to places of worship and visits to our school by local faith and community leaders.
- There are opportunities for discussions on prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHE. This includes helping pupils to value and respect their own and other’s cultures and ways of life through developing their understanding of our diverse and global community.
- We support pupil’s understanding of the differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and different family situations.
- We teach and encourage our pupils to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.