British Values
Dene is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom. It also understands the vital role it has in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.
It follows equal opportunities guidance which guarantees that there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar. Dene Academy is dedicated to preparing pupils for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British values to all its pupils.
The Government emphasises that schools are required to ensure that key ‘British Values’ are taught in all UK schools. The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy.
We uphold and promote the following British Values:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
The examples that follow show some of the many ways Dene Academy seeks to embed British values.
Democracy
The principle of democracy is consistently being reinforced by the Dene Academy ethos, with democratic processes being used for important decisions within the school community, for instance, elections being held for Head Boy and Girl. Our elected Student Leadership Team help to make our school a better place. The pupils host half termly School Council meetings to discuss issues related to our school and the local area. Pupil questionnaires, surveys and interviews are also conducted regularly as part of our QA process and we believe that this active participation will sow the seeds for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in their future.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced by the Dene Academy ethos. Pupils are taught the rules and expectations of the school and these are constantly reinforced through assemblies and our climate for learning.
The rule of law is also embedded in the curriculum and the extended curriculum. Pupils are taught the value and the reasons behind laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Examples include the study of the application of air pollution and climate change in Science and Geography. We also welcome a range of visitors from authorities such as the Police, Fire Service and prison service as part of our PSHE curriculum’.
Individual Liberty
At Dene, pupils are actively encouraged to make independent choices, with the knowledge that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Staff at Dene Academy work hard to provide a positive ethos; they educate and provide boundaries for pupils to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to set personal targets and choose tasks in class which challenge them, giving them more freedom to determine their own success. We offer a range of extra-curricular activities which pupils have the right to choose from, based on their interests. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely, for example through e-safety. Dene Academy also reinforces the value of individual liberty explicitly within the curriculum and extended curriculum.
Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of different Faiths and Beliefs
Respect and tolerance are a fundamental part of Dene Academy’s philosophy and are at the core of our school life. Pupils learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect and this is reiterated through our teaching and learning environments. Mutual respect and tolerance is embraced throughout the curriculum by providing the opportunity for pupils to express their views in a safe environment.
We equip pupils with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity through a culturally rich and varied curriculum. For example, in English, pupils study a wide range of authors who draw on their own culture, background and religious beliefs to inform their writing. Pupils consequently are encouraged and educated to be accepting of different cultural beliefs and traditions.
