Suckley School
Happy, Aspirational and Ready for Life
Our Values
Our Suckley School Curriculum values that underpin all learning are:
Perseverance
Kindness
Respect
Determination
Independence
Honesty
The National Curriculum is a part of our school curriculum, and alongside this we include:
RE, PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education), LOTC (Learning outside of the classroom, such as Forest School) and our own Suckley Skills which are promoted through every part of the curriculum.
The Department for Education has introduced a statutory duty for schools to promote British Values more actively from September 2014, and to ensure they are part of the school curriculum.
The government advocates 'Promoting Fundamental British Values 2014 ' as a part of SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) education in schools and within the wider curriculum, and that they should promote the fundamental British values of:
• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
Promoting these values can mean challenging opinions, and it is therefore important that through our provision we:
- enable students to develop their self confidence
- enable students to distinguish from right and wrong, and respect the law
- encourage students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions
- further tolerance and harmony between cultures and traditions by enabling students to appreciate and respect other cultures
- encourage respect for democracy
Ways that we promote these values at Suckley School:
Democracy:
We have an active school council and house and sports team captains. These pupils are voted into their positions and pupil leaders have to convince others and provide reasons as to why they should be voted in. Councillors, as elected representatives of their classes attend meetings with the head teacher, and are given additional responsibilities within the school. We have evidence that the school council make a difference and have made decisions that have led to improvements in provision. they have been part of the staff recruitment process and the induction of new pupils.
For example, we held a 'general election' in which Y6 candidates presented to the school, followed by a secret ballot. Their presentations are available to view on our website.
We provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for public institutions and services (such as visits from local police, police dog, local councillors, pedestrian and road safety teams, who explain what they do). We contribute to the local community, for example, by respecting support groups for the elderly and visiting them at Christmas. groups of children regularly present to the Parish Council about the school.
As part of the curriculum we provide regular opportunities for children to persuade each other of something , and as a result children have the opportunity to give a reasoned view. This is a key feature of our curriculum which offers children the chance to take a role as a public or business figure. Team work and leadership are a significant part of this learning style.
The Rule of law:
Our school rules are clear and understood by the children. They are discussed regularly, at the start of each half term and in assemblies. They are consistently used by all staff.
Our behaviour policy is clear, and has been revisited recently. It provides clear guidelines and promotes and understanding of respect, and of right and wrong. The children are aware of consequences.
Children are also expected to take responsibility for their belongings and environment, and older children encouraged to take on 'jobs' around the school to develop that sense of community responsibility and caring.
Individual liberty:
One of our central aims is to ensure pupils develop their self - knowledge and self esteem and confidence. We recognise that this is a cornerstone around which everything else is created. We work hard to ensure that children receive feedback on their learning regularly, and are given opportunities to respond and self improve. Our ethos is one of praise and celebration.
The Thrive program underpins all aspects of learning in all classrooms, and where an individual child may need support in this are, it provided one to one support to enable that child to flourish.
We quickly challenge stereotypes and are quick to deal with any form of discriminatory behaviour. This includes anti bullying. Bullying or intolerance are not tolerated at Suckley.
Mutual Respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs:
We are not a multicultural school with many faiths and cultures and so we work hard to promote the understanding and respect of individual differences and to challenge stereotypes. We work in an environment of mutual respect and understanding of each other.
Through daily collective worship and RE and PSHE we help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for their own and others culture and way of life. Prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour is challenged.
We discuss differences between people, such as faith, gender, ethnicity, disability or sexuality. Our link with a very large city school in a neighbouring county encourages children to mix with others, and experience their school life. reciprol visits encourage the children to compare and contrast, and to respect. This school make reciprocal visits with ourselves so that each can compare and contrast their localities, communities, similarities and differences.
Our collective worship program covers a wide and varied range of themes and topics by sharing a 'What's going on in the World' approach, reflecting on current affairs and events, by sharing the celebrations of the main religions and by openly discussing these themes as follow ups in the classroom.