The Department for Education requires all schools to actively 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 — values first set out in the 2011 Prevent Strategy to help safeguard young people against extremism and radicalisation.

At Springcroft, we take this seriously. These values run through our curriculum, our assemblies, and our everyday school life. We make considerable efforts to ensure children have a wide range of experiences beyond their local community. For example, sporting events, school trips, residential stays, assemblies and workshops led by a range of visitors to our school.  Their strong-rooted, values-based understanding gives them an excellent platform for their personal development and embracing difference.

Democracy

Every child has a voice at Springcroft. Our School Council gives pupils a genuine say in decisions that affect their school, and children vote for their class captains and vice-captains each year — a real, practised introduction to democratic choice, not just a lesson about it.

The rule of law

Children learn to understand that rules exist to keep everyone safe and treated fairly — both the laws of wider society and the behaviour expectations that keep our own school community running well. We help children understand the reasons behind rules, not just the rules themselves.

Individual liberty

We support children to make safe, informed choices and to understand their own rights and freedoms, alongside the responsibility that comes with them — through our curriculum, our extra-curricular clubs, and the everyday choices we build into school life.

Mutual respect and tolerance

We value the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of every child and family at Springcroft. Our weekly Picture News assemblies open up current events and different perspectives to pupils of all ages, and our RE curriculum explores a range of faiths and beliefs — helping children understand and respect people whose lives and beliefs may differ from their own.

Additionally, our weekly ‘Picture News’ class-based assemblies, discussions and debates also help our children to develop an awareness and understanding of the protected characteristics.