British Values

Our core purpose is to inspire Beckfoot Oakbank learners to embrace learning in all its forms and to use their educational experience to make a real difference to their own lives, and to the lives of others.

Our ambition is to support and inspire all our learners to be confident, respectful, reflective, creative, selfless, leaders, resilient, collaborative, inquisitive and aspirational.

As part of our values led approach we actively promote the values of:

• democracy
• the rule of law
• individual liberty
• mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs and those without faith as part of our work to promote equalities believing that a lived understanding of these and other values will contribute to all our students success in life now and in the future.

Here at Beckfoot Oakbank, students encounter these principles throughout everyday school life. SMSC including British Values are consciously developed through the culture and ethos of our school, through the content of our core curriculum where understanding of values are explored in wide ranging ways. We believe that education can inspire and develop positive attitudes to others. Listed below are just some examples of how we promote these values in our school community:

‘Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is developed well through a range of themed days, trips and visitors. Students are well prepared for life in modern Britain, especially through the school’s ‘Open Minds’ programme which promotes British values of tolerance and respect for others’ …..’The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Students say they feel safe in school. They are taught to stay safe and understand, for example, the potential dangers of using the Internet. ……Students learn about different types of bullying, but say it is rare in this school. If it did happen, students are confident it would be dealt with quickly and effectively. Exclusion rates are falling, and racism is almost unknown.’ (Ofsted 2015)

At the heart of our school is the key principle that all students are leaders. They work closely with other students, staff, parents, the community and other schools on all aspects of school life. They have a real say in the development and future of our school. The Beckfoot Oakbank Student Leadership Team is selected every two years. These students work alongside staff on all aspects of school development, seeking to represent the views of all students and to encourage an ethos of co-construction. Student Leadership groups also operate across school with representation at both pastoral and faculty level as well as through the wider community. Students have a great amount of input in regards to what helps them learn. They are regularly surveyed as part of both faculty and year groups reviews, which promotes student voice. Listening to students’ views is at the heart of the school.

An understanding of democracy is taught in Open Minds and History lessons.

Our students will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives. We want our students to understand that whether these laws govern the teaching group, the school, the neighbourhood or the country, they are set for good reasons, for the benefit of us all and must be adhered to.

This understanding of the importance of rules and moral values is consistently reinforced through our assembly program and our curriculum. The involvement of our pupils in the creation of the school rules helps them to understand the reasons behind the rules and the consequences if they are broken. Consequently all students are aware of the Beckfoot Oakbank expectations. We have a strong culture of discussion and debate that is encouraged across the curriculum in for example science.

We invest a great deal of time in creating a positive culture in our school, so that students are in a safe environment where choices and freedoms are encouraged. Teachers personalise the learning for all students to ensure that they make more than expected progress.

We offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities including our sports and performing arts programme  which runs for KS3 students after-school. We also offer a number of other clubs which students have the freedom to choose from, based on their interests.

Through our Open Minds program for all year groups and Humanities lessons we educate students on their rights and personal freedoms as well as supporting them in recognising how to exercise these freedoms safely. At Beckfoot Oakbank we believe that valuing choice and freedom in daily school life will foster a value for individual liberty as the children embark upon their adult lives.

Mutual respect is at the core of our school life. Respect forms one of the key qualities as highlighted by our Beckfoot Oakbank Learner. Students learn to treat each other and staff with great respect. This is evident when walking around the school.

At Beckfoot Oakbank we offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and respected and ‘students gain ‘a sophisticated understanding of culture’.

We are striving for all students to achieve an outstanding attitude to learning in all aspects of school life. We want all of our Beckfoot Oakbank students to be fully equipped for the challenges that they will face in the outside world. The importance of a positive attitude to learning, and indeed to life, will allow for our students to be resilient in the face of adversity.