British Values

Further to the DFE Guidance of November 2014 Promoting Fundimental British Values as part of SMSC in Schools this information is designed to provide readers with an understanding of how, through promoting SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and  Cultural) development, we also actively promote fundamental British values.

• We meet our statutory requirements in relation to a daily act of Collective Worship
• We have established a strong school ethos which is supported by effective relationship throughout our Federation
• We provide relevant activities beyond the classroom
• We encourage our students to tolerate and respect people of all faiths, races and cultures. 

These are all basic ways in which we ensure the SMSC development of all students, but we do much  more. 

Students should understand that while people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and  ‘wrong’; all people in England are subject to its law. Our ethos and teaching support the rule of  English Civil and Criminal Law and we do not teach anything that undermines it. When teaching  about religious law we take extreme care to explore the relationship between state and religious law  to ensure students are aware of the difference between the law of the land and religious law. 

Promoting British Values 

The Durham Academy is committed to serving the wider community. We recognise that the multi cultural, multi-race and multi-faith nature of the UK is evolving and changing and we must respond  to it. We believe that as educators we have a crucial role in ensuring that our students are protected  from those who wish to intimidate, radicalise or influence them either unduly or illegally. 

We follow strict Equal Opportunities Guidance which ensures there is no discrimination against any  individual group regardless of their faith, ethnicity, 

sexuality, political or financial status or any  protected characteristics within the Equality Act. 

We are committed to ensuring that our students are ready for life beyond our gates and beyond the  formal curriculum and exams. We promote and reinforce British values to all of our students. 

Fundamental British Values 

In the Prevent stategy, published by the Government in 2011, five British Values were defined. We agree with these five values and promote them across our colleges: 

• Democracy 
• The Rule of Law 
• Individual Liberty 
• Mutual Respect 
• Tolerance of those with Different Faiths & Beliefs 

We also understand that promoting these values means challenging opinions or behaviour in our  colleges that are contrary to fundamental British values.

Through our provision of SMSC we: 

• Enable students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence; 
• Enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of  England; 
• Encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the  locality of our school and to society more widely; 
• Enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions  and services in England;
• Further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to  acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; 
• Encourage respect for other people; and Encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes,  including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England; 

As a result of promoting fundamental British values we expect that our students develop an  understanding and knowledge of the following: 

• An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic  process; 
• An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is  essential for their wellbeing and safety; 
• An understanding that there is a separation of power between the executive and the  judiciary, and that while some public bodies such as the Police and the Army can be held  to account through Parliament, others such as the Courts maintain independence; 
• An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is  protected in law; 
• An acceptance that other people have different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having  none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or  discriminatory behaviour; and 
• An understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.

The following examples provide an insight into some of the ways Durham Academy seeks to embed fundamental British values.

Democracy 

This value is consistently upheld in everyday school life. We use the democratic process  frequently when seeking to include students in important decision making. We have  a Student Council in both colleges who are elected by their peers, who  are involved in making decisions and informing improvements to make our colleges better places. 

The principle of democracy is also taught, explained and discussed in both RS and History lessons as  part of the curriculum and in Tutor Time and Assemblies. 

The Rule of Law 

The importance of law is consistently reinforced at The Durham Academy; laws which govern our  colleges and our country. Students are taught about the rules and expectations of our school and  these are rigorously reinforced in assemblies, lessons and in classrooms. Our rules and expectations  are displayed throughout school and students were actively involved in developing them.  Students are taught why we need rules and why we need to follow and respect them; they protect  us and if we don’t follow them there are consequences. We also teach them that this applies in life  beyond our college gates; there are consequences when any laws are broken. 

Individual Liberty 

At The Durham Academy we actively encourage students to make independent choices which are  knowledgeable and are made in a safe, secure and supportive environment. We work hard to  provide a positive ethos and culture which students know and respect and as we teach students we  provide boundaries which enable students to make informed choices. 

Students are encouraged to set challenging personal targets and tasks in lessons which enable them  to think, consider and reflect in order for them to learn, share and shape their own future success. 

We also offer a variety of enrichment activities and  opportunities which students can choose from depending upon their interests. 

We have robust policies in terms of Behaviour and E-Safety and we encourage students to know,  understand and exercise their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and we teach and  advise them about how to do this safely. 

Mutual Respect 

The respect agenda is a strong aspect of our school. We believe in mutual respect, model it in our daily work and encourage students to do the same. We teach students that their own behaviours  have an effect on their own and others’ rights. All members of our school community are expected to treat each other with respect regardless of difference. Mutual respect is also taught  throughout our curriculum and SMSC lessons when students are enabled to  express their views in a  safe environment.

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs 

We promote tolerance by supporting our students to understand our culturally diverse society and  their place within it. We give them many opportunities to experience the rich diversity of our world  through our culturally diverse curriculum and in their participation in multi-cultural activities. 

The Religious Studies curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a variety of faiths,  beliefs and activities.The Geography and History curriculum teaches students about the  development of our multicultural society. 

We work tirelessly to prepare our students for the future and to provide them with the strongest  foundation of values from which they can develop their own lives and places in society, in a law  abiding and successful way.