Values

Our school values are very important to us, and underpin the life of the school, the way we behave and the way we work together.  We refreshed our values for January 2019, and you can see them on display around our school building and in every classroom.

We work together to share our values, which although are rooted in Christian tradition, are inclusive for our whole school community. Each term we have a theme, based on one of our values and explore a number of different 'Questions of the Week' through stories and discussion, both in collective worship time and in class.  We also reward children who demonstrate one of the values in our celebration assemblies each Friday.

British Values

The Department for Education state that there is a 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.”

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and these values were reiterated by the Prime Minister in 2014. We have a strong tradition of promoting these values through our everyday work and in our provision for learning, both through the values shown above and our Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) provision and through the promotion of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural links (SMSC). 

At Fishponds CE Academy, British values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways.

Democracy

Democracy is embedded at our school.  Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard.  Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council, in Circle Time, PSHE and regular questionnaires.  The elections of the School Council members and members of the Collective Worship group are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced.  Our school has three rules, which are deeply embedded in our work every day.  All the children understand our rules and know that they are necessary to ensure that everyone is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment.  Our 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.  As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education.  Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely; examples of this can be clearly seen in our e-safety and P.S.H.E. lessons.  Whether it is through choice of challenge; of how they record; of participation in our numerous extra- curricular activities; our pupils are given the freedom to make choices and to understand the consequences of those choices.

Mutual Respect

Respect is one of the core values of our school, a value which was chosen by the whole school community and the most important for the children.  Our pupils were fully involved in the creation of our values in September 2015 and they are deeply embedded in all that we do at the school.  The pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have and to everything, however big or small.  The core value of Respect at  Fishponds CE Academy underpins our work every day both in and out of the classroom.

Tolerance of those who have different Faiths and Beliefs

Our core value of Respect ensures tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs.  As a diverse inner city Primary school, with many faiths and backgrounds and religions - and those of no faith, Fishponds CE Academy enhances tolerance and pupils' understanding of different faiths and beliefs through a huge range of activities and by the very nature of how we interact with each other.  This could be through religious education studies, P.S.H.E. work, visits to other schools in different settings, joining in celebrations such as Diwali, Eid and themed cultural weeks where we welcome and celebrate our differences and similarities as a school family.

Beliefs, traditions and customs of other faiths are studied in depth, with visitors being invited in to our school to enrich and extend understanding.  Through this our pupils gain an enhanced understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society