‘This is a Catholic school which seeks to live out the values of Jesus Christ. We promote these values by our words and deeds, and Catholic doctrine and practice therefore permeates every aspect of the school’s activity. We provide a Catholic curriculum, which is broad and balanced, recognising that every pupil is unique and is created in the image of God (Gen 1:27). Our curriculum is designed to enable every pupil to discern their vocation and to be well-equipped to follow it as active citizens in service to the world.’ (Catholic Values and ‘British Values’ Catholic Education Service, February 2015)

The promotion of ‘British values’ is central to Catholic education because British values have their origin in the Christian values of our nation. Through its curriculum, extra-curricular activities, teaching and learning this school will promote British values. By doing so, we will ensure that all learners understand the values that have traditionally underpinned British society. The teaching of these values, together with the Gospel values, will promote cohesiveness within our school and community. We will prepare pupils for life in England where the population has an increasingly rich diversity of backgrounds, origins, beliefs and cultures by promoting the values on which our society has been built. By teaching pupils these values we will help all to become good citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Following the guidance by the Department for Education in November 2014, St John Fisher RC Primary School promotes the British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

How we promote British Values

Democracy

At St John Fisher RC Primary School we:

  • Ensure that all pupils within the school have a voice that is listened to, and we demonstrate how democracy works by actively promoting democratic processes such as a school council whose members are voted for by the pupils.
  • Conduct regular pupil Interviews that provide opportunities for pupils to make their voices
    heard.
  • Include in suitable parts of the curriculum – as appropriate for the age of pupils – how
    democracy and the law works in Britain.
  • Plan and teach lessons that include opportunity for debating.
  • Highlight the development of democratic ideas in history lessons.
  • Allow pupils to vote for House Captains.
  • Invite MPs and other speakers to the school.
  • Visit local councils.
  • Take part in Rochdale Children’s Champion elections to promote fundamental British values and provide pupils with the opportunity to learn how to argue and defend points of view.

The Rule of Law

At St John Fisher RC Primary School we:

  • Create “class rules.”
  • Have a clear behaviour policy that is explained to all.
  • Organise visits from the police service to reinforce the message of right and wrong.
  • Highlight the rules of the Church and God in the RE curriculum, for example the 10
    commandments and the Precepts of the Church.
  • Teach about the development of the Rule of Law in English Law, a legal system created uniquely in a Catholic England, inspired by Christian values and becoming a major influence across the world.

Individual Liberty

At St John Fisher RC Primary School we:

  • Encourage students to be independent in their learning.
  • Provide students with opportunities for reflection.

Mutual Respect

At St John Fisher RC Primary School we:

  • Have a mission statement that is inclusive.
  • Constantly promote respect for others as good manners.
  • Reinforce the value of everyone’s opinions in class debates.
  • Have an effective anti-bullying policy.
  • Emphasise in RE and PSHE lessons that every person is unique and “created in the image of God.”
  • Have active educational links with other schools.
  • Support charitable works, local, national and global.

Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

At St John Fisher RC Primary School we:

  • Highlight how Religious Education provides pupils with a deep understanding of their own faith as well as awareness of the faith and traditions of other religious communities as a basis for understanding and respecting them.
  • Study different World Faiths within the Curriculum.
  • Show how Jesus encouraged tolerance in stories such as The Good Samaritan and The Women at the Well.