The Bridge Federation

‘Working together hand in hand-Kindness, Respect and Honesty’

British Values Statement

              Democracy                  Rule of law         Individual liberty        Mutual respect and tolerance

At The Bridge Federation, our curriculum actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. Our school requires that teaching and learning about values takes place in the following ways:

• by teachers explaining the meaning of the value and the children remembering it using the acronym; DRIMT these are displayed and referred to in the schools’ halls and in classrooms across the federation.
• by pupils reflecting on the value and what it means to them and their own behaviour
• by pupils using the value to guide their own actions
• by staff modelling the value through their own behaviour
• by ensuring that values are taught implicitly through every aspect of the curriculum
• through the work of the school council and subject representatives

by involving all staff, governors and parents in the British Values programme. We are committed to serving our community and surrounding areas. We recognises the multicultural, multi-faith nature of the United Kingdom and understand the crucial role our school plays in promoting these values. This statement outlines the key British values we actively promote as defined in the Government’s Prevent Strategy and is reinforced regularly and in the following ways:​

Democracy

• Democracy is richly embedded in our school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our school council, pupil questionnaires classroom/whole school discussions, debates and speaking and listening activities. The Bridge Federation’s Schools’ Behaviour Policy includes rewards and sanctions and high expectations for behaviour in all aspects of pupils’ lives both in school and in the community. This Policy is shared with parents and carers and all our pupils. Children are involved in Democratic processes through for example:

• Voting for school councillors -the School Council itself is led by a member of staff and adheres to democratic processes, reporting its actions through whole school assemblies and in communication with parents and the governing body. We have links with the local PCSOs who come into school to educate the children about upholding British law.
• The children put forward their suggestions then vote for the annual school charity day.
• Our schools hold annual elections for ‘Teacher Day’ which coincides with local and general elections. Children in Year 6 create and deliver a speech and the whole school make individual, confidential votes via a ballot box, using their individual ID cards to vote for the class teacher/Teaching Assistant and Headteacher for the day.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, is consistently reinforced at The Bridge Federation. Pupils are taught the classroom and school rules from transition and on entry to school and the high expectations dictated by these rules. Pupils at The Bridge Federation are taught the reasons behind rules and laws; that they govern and protect us; the responsibilities that this involves; and the consequences when rules and laws are broken. The school’s own ‘rules’ and individual class rules and expectations are constantly referred to in assemblies and by all staff, displayed throughout the school and act as a permanent reminder to pupils. The school has very strongly established values that we all, adults and pupils alike, are responsible for our own actions, and that we make choices. The school’s Behaviour Policy has at the heart of it, the importance of teaching and guiding us all to make the right choices. Visits from outside agencies such as the Police and Fire Service underpin and reinforce this message. Our local Police Support Officers attend school regularly to get to know the pupils and support the school’s work with the community. The school has links with the:

• Local police through the Safer Schools Partnership
• Pol-Ed RSHE scheme for example; ‘what are rules, what are consequences, what do the police do? What is the law and why do we have it?’ units of work.
• From 2026, all children to take part in UK Parliament Week (November) and we will invite a member of parliament to talk to the children at both schools.

Our RSHE curriculum contains live lessons which are continually updated through Pol-ED to reflect the need of the communities.

Individual Liberty

Within our schools, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school, we educate and provide boundaries for all pupils to make choices safely, through provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely though Online Safety and RSHE lessons for example. Pupils are given the freedom to, and actively encourage to make a wide range of choices from attending extra curricular clubs to supporting fund raising activities. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely. Pupils have key roles and responsibilities in school, such as:

• Subject Ambassadors for the full range of the subjects. Children create and deliver whole school assemblies around their chosen subjects. Children support other children in lessons across the school and plan and teach lessons/activities alongside class teachers.
• Sports Ambassadors who take on daily responsibilities for organising equipment and overseeing sports at all playtimes and lunchtimes for KS1 and KS2 children.
• Reading Ambassadors support the younger children in our schools by listening to them read and reinforcing our embedded phonics system.
• Health and Safety Ambassadors take on roles such as; tidying away equipment and litter picking.

Mutual Respect

Mutual and self -respect is at the heart of our school ethos and values. Pupils know that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. There is an expectation that all members of our school community treat each other, and themselves, with respect. Adults throughout our school model, demonstrate and promote respect for others as do older children who have suitable, age related tasks and responsibilities and this is reiterated through our school and classroom rules as well as our behaviour.

Our RSHE Pol-Ed curriculum embodies values of mutual respect through units of learning such as relationships, protected characteristics and being a responsible citizen.

• Our Sports Ambassadors actively promote an attitude of equality and fairness.
• Respect is an integral part of our aims and values: ‘Working together hand in hand-Kindness, Respect and Honesty.’
• Our close partnership with St Lawrence Academy further promotes and encourages mutual respect for all.

Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

The schools within The Bridge Federation are situated in areas which are not greatly culturally diverse, and as a result we place a great emphasis on promoting diversity with our children. RE teaching (Our RE curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures). International/Faith days, RSHE and assemblies are regularly planned to address this issue either directly or through the inclusion of stories and celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures.

Our curriculum topics are enhanced with visits to a local Mosque and students from St Lawrence Academy visit our schools and deliver whole school assemblies around their faiths, beliefs and traditions. The students talk about their cultures and the countries they have lived in and join classes to teach children and to join in with various activities. Our pupils also visit our local churches. Children at both schools in the federation take up the role of RE Ambassadors and support in embedding key knowledge through creating and delivering whole school assemblies.