Ethos and Values
British and Bexton Values
The Bexton values are at the heart of our ethos and practice in school. We promote the five key values through our assemblies, our behaviour policy and our curriculum. During the lockdowns, Mrs Armstrong lead weekly online assemblies focused on the Bexton values and this enabled children and parents to understand the values in depth.
Our values are:
- Be positive
- Be hardworking
- Be respectful
- Be kind
- Never give up!
In 2022, the Year 6 children helped make these shields showing all our values and what behaviours go with them. We regularly refer to these in our weekly assemblies.
In accordance with The Department for Education, we also promote the British values to ensure children leave our school prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and understand that while people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in our country are subject to its laws.
The British Values are (and how we support them):
Democracy
- We have ensured that pupils take an active role in school life, through key positions of responsibilities, e.g. voting for the school council and sharing their views through this forum, an eco-council and a wellbeing team. The Year 6 children also take on additional responsibilities.
- We have ensured our pupils have a good understanding of how they can influence decision making through a democratic process. The school council have led votes on changing the lunchtimes, the names of our house teams and the charities we support. They are currently working on working to make a positive impact in our local community through working with the police, the town council and other community leaders.
- Through assemblies we have ensured children have a good understanding of elections, the main political parties and their leaders.
Rule of Law
- In our Jigsaw scheme of work (PSHRE lessons) each class develops a class charter where they agree on the shared rules for their class during their sessions. These are reinforced in whole school assemblies.
- Our local PCSO regularly visits the school and delivers assemblies or class sessions around their role and how children can respect the laws of our country.
Individual Liberty
- Children are given plenty of choices at playtimes through our OPAL (outdoor play and learning) scheme. They have access to a variety of activities, including a sandpit, dressing up and performing, den building, digging areas, loose part play, a reading bus, creative activities and lots of sports.
- We have a strong culture of celebrating differences (No Outsiders) and developing children’s self-knowledge, self-esteem and confidence. This has been enhanced by our weekly Jigsaw lessons which have supported in-depth class discussions around personal development.
- We have a strong anti-bullying culture. We regularly remind children about our ‘STOP’ message, which mean ‘Several Times On Purpose’. This allows children to understand what bullying is and when to seek help from an adult.
Mutual Respect & Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
- Through our RE scheme the children have a good understanding of the main religions and show respect towards people of different faiths. We have invited people of different faiths to come and speak to the children in assemblies.
- Our Jigsaw scheme of work has extensive lessons about tackling discrimination and prejudices.
- We are a ‘No Outsiders’ school which means we use stories in our assemblies to teach children about how everyone is welcome in our school and celebrate differences. We also use No Outsiders to explore critical news events.