A Coronation Song - St Mark's School Choir

Click here to listen to Liz Ansell's Coronation song which she wrote the words for that the choir have recently learnt. This will be played on air across the hospital radio station over the Coronation weekend.

Promoting Fundamental British Values at St. Mark’s

All schools have a responsibility “to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”

We aim to actively promote British values in our school to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain: developing a sense of community and their responsibilities and roles within it. Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law.

We promote the fundamental British values through our work in all areas of the curriculum and link these to our school Christian values of Hope, Honesty, Forgiveness, Friendship and Perseverance. These are referred to and discussed in whole school worship and in class.

How is this achieved at St. Mark’s Primary School:

We help children to remember the British Values through the thumb and finger model

Thumb – democracy – up or down to give opinion.

Index finger – Rule of Law - pointing

Middle finger – Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs – tallest finger pointing to God.

Ring Finger – Mutual respect – wedding ring – respect for other people

Little finger – Individual Liberty – sticks out on its own.

Democracy at St. Mark’s

We …

• Provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public institutions and services
• Teach pupils how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process
• Include in the curriculum information on the advantages and disadvantages of democracy and how it works in Britain
• Encourage pupils to become involved in decision-making processes and ensure they are listened to in school
• Hold ‘elections’ to elect class representatives for the school council (KS2)
• Give every pupil a voice through the school council, eco council and sports council
• Give every pupil a voice through pupil surveys and questionnaires
• Help pupils to express their views
• Model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged
• Highlight democracy through history topics where relevant
• We promote Circle Time and discussion groups

Rule of law at St. Mark’s

We …

• Ensure school rules and expectations are clear and fair
• Discuss, agree and create class contracts at the start of each academic year and we celebrate adhering to these rules
• Ensure pupils have a very clear understanding of their responsibility for the choices they make and the sanctions that are in place when rules and/ or values are not followed.
• Help pupils to distinguish right from wrong
• Help pupils to respect the law and the basis on which it is made
• Help pupils to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals
• Ensure the pupils develop their understanding of actions, responsibilities and consequences through our robust PSHE curriculum including visits from/ to authorities such as the Police, Fire Service and Lifeguards.
• Reinforce morals, values, rules and laws as an integral part of our learning ensuring pupils become law abiding citizens.
• Ensure staff are excellent role models for pupils and that they follow the same procedure when dealing with incidents so that all pupils are treated fairly and respectfully

Individual liberty at St. Mark’s

We …

• Wholeheartedly support the aims enshrined in the UNICEF Rights of the Child ideal
• Support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence
• Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their rights
• Encourage children to make learning choices; participating in discussions to decide what they would like to learn about in a project and choosing tasks in Golden Time.
• Model freedom of speech through pupil participation, while ensuring protection of vulnerable pupils and promoting critical analysis of evidence
• Challenge stereotypes
• Implement a strong anti-bullying culture
• Teach E-Safety through school

Mutual Respect and Tolerance at St. Mark’s

We …

• Promote respect for individual differences
• Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life
• Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
• Organise visits to places of worship
• Develop links with faith and other communities through RE and working alongside children and their families
• Teach pupils about, and allow them to discuss, our culturally diverse society and a wide range of different religions
• Provide opportunities for pupils to study and learn about life and culture in different countries through our project work
• Learning to disagree in a respectful way
• Develop critical personal thinking skills
• Actively promote positive friendships and have a robust anti-bullying policy