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BRITISH VALUES

The School actively promotes positive and inclusive values including democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.  The School believes that British Values are those values expected of anyone living in Britain, regardless of their nationality, culture or religious belief.

  • The School’s ethos reflects these values, with strong emphasis being placed on positive relationships between all students.  These values are promoted through the focus on Character Education in Tutor Periods, PSHE, the Assembly Programme and the Thought for the Week.
  • Within the multi-cultural School environment there is an awareness of the need for respect for all.  This is modelled by the multicultural staff, and through the swift intervention when tensions do arise between students. Where necessary, a programme of individual support is put in place through the School’s Learning Mentor.  Visitors to the School frequently comment on the friendliness of the students and the positive relationships between all groups.
  • Students have a strong understanding of the need for rules to be respected to ensure the School is an orderly society and an understanding that when rules are violated there are consequences.
  • Learning is collaborative, in mixed groups, and students are encouraged to express their views openly and to understand different points of view.
  • The curriculum and extra-curricular activities provide a wide variety of opportunities to explore issues around individual liberty, mutual respect and cultural identity e.g. studying a range of English Literature, RE, PSHE, Art, Music and the annual Cultural Fusion Show run by the Sixth Form.
  • Students have opportunities to learn about democracy in action through the Year Councils, Student Council and the Youth Parliament, as well as the Mock Elections run alongside National General Elections.
  • Staff understand the need to challenge extremist attitudes and report concerns following procedures in the Safeguarding Policy. Training in the Prevent Strategy is included in the annual Safeguarding training delivered to all staff at the start of every academic year and new staff prior to starting work.  
  • The low number of behaviour incidents and exclusions, positive ethos of the School and friendliness between all groups of students, provides some of the evidence for the assertion that Heston is an environment in which British Values are both implicitly evident and explicitly developed.