Promoting British Values
At Bedford Drive Primary, we aim for all children to grow, learn, and flourish academically, ensuring that as part of their wider education they become active, contributing members of society. We want them to be Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, and Responsible Citizens. Our role is to ensure that we consistently promote and reinforce British values throughout our pupils' journey with us.
The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, identifying them as:
Democracy
The rule of law
Individual liberty
Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
At our school, these values are deeply reinforced as an intrinsic part of daily school life. The Department for Education (DfE) states 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.”
These British Values are seamlessly threaded through our core “Bedford Drive Values”. We celebrate one value every month during assemblies, which are subsequently followed up with meaningful classroom discussions.
Democracy
At Bedford Drive Primary, the principle of democracy is reinforced through regular, democratic decision-making by the children. In September, we celebrate democracy across the whole school, allowing children to learn about what democracy means and why it is vital to a fair society.
Each year, pupils collaborate to decide upon their own class charter and the rights associated with it, ensuring every child contributes to its creation.
Children have numerous opportunities for their voices to be heard. Our active School Council meets regularly to discuss issues raised in class, and all council members are democratically voted in by their peers.
In Year 6, we elect our "Pupil Ambassadors". Candidates prepare and deliver a speech to the school community explaining why they are suited to this leadership role before a pupil vote takes place. As part of this role, Ambassadors support school events, guide visitors, and practice public speaking, serving as excellent role models for the entire school community.
Furthermore, Bedford Drive partners with Voice21 to develop high-level debating skills. We run a dedicated Debate Club in Key Stage 2 to prepare our pupils for cross-school debating competitions.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws—whether they govern a classroom, the school, or the wider country—is consistently reinforced through our behavioral expectations. Our school rules—Ready, Respectful, Safe—are highly visible in every classroom. They are used daily to promote positive choices, and explicit links are made to ‘The Rule of Law’ during school assemblies.
Pupils are taught the value and reasoning behind laws: that they exist to govern and protect us, the responsibilities they involve, and the consequences faced when they are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help to reinforce these vital safety and civic messages.
Children understand that clear consequences exist within our behavior framework. Using restorative justice techniques, they are taught how to reflect on their choices and how to work collaboratively with others to ‘put things right’ when rules have not been followed.
Individual Liberty
Within our school, pupils are actively encouraged to make independent choices, knowing that they are doing so in a safe, supportive, and empowering environment. We provide the necessary boundaries and guidance to ensure young pupils can exercise their personal freedoms safely.
Pupils are encouraged to know, understand, and exercise their rights, supported directly through our E-Safety, RSE (Relationships and Sex Education), and PSHE curriculums, which explore aspects of liberty in every year group.
Whether choosing how to record their work or deciding to participate in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and enrichment opportunities, pupils are given the freedom and agency to make their own choices.
Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is at the absolute heart of our school ethos. At Bedford Drive, children learn that their behaviors directly impact their own rights and the rights of others.
Our core rules of Ready, Respectful, Safe ensure that we talk frequently and explicitly about what respect looks like in practice. All members of the school community treat one another with dignity.
Pupils are provided with meaningful opportunities to understand and respect the wider community around them. This includes choosing which charities to support, alongside community outreach initiatives such as visiting a local care home or engaging with local sports groups.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
As Bedford Drive is situated in an area that is not highly culturally diverse, we place a significant emphasis on proactively promoting diversity and global perspectives. Assemblies are regularly designed to address this directly or through the shared storytelling of celebrations from a variety of faiths and cultures.
Our My Happy Mind and RE curriculums strongly reinforce this framework. Members of different faiths or religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance classroom learning. Pupils also benefit from visiting various physical places of worship, and external visitors are regularly invited into school to share their rich cultural experiences.
At Bedford Drive, we will actively challenge pupils, staff, or parents who express opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including extremist views.
Each term we read a ‘No Outsiders’ book and have a follow up discussion. "No Outsiders" is designed to teach children about diversity, equality, and inclusion. It promotes the core message that everyone is welcome and belongs, encouraging respect for differences in race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and family background.