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British Values at Shooters Hill Sixth Form College

 

British Values are Shooters Hill Values

At Shooters Hill Sixth Form College we prepare our learners academically for whatever their future steps may. However, we also recognise the importance of preparing our learners for transitioning into adult life as part of wider British society. As part of this preparation, we promote and reinforce British Values to our students.

The government set out its definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and this now sits alongside the requirements of the Equalities Act (which applies to all types of schools and academies in the UK). The five fundamental British Values are defined as:

  • Democracy
  • The Rule of Law
  • Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
  • Mutual Respect
  • Individual Liberty

All schools and academies in the UK are expected to focus on, and be able to demonstrate, how these are embedded in the academic and pastoral curriculum. At Shooters Hill Sixth Form College, these values are firmly integrated with our values, ethos and strategic intent.

 

British Values are Everyday Values

All staff recognise the importance of encouraging students’ SMSC (spiritual, moral, social, cultural) development, which includes the embedding of British Values. Therefore Shooters Hill students encounter British Values throughout everyday life at the college, both as part of their academic curriculum and their wider pastoral programme.

The examples that follow below are indicative of the many and varied strategies for embedding British Values at Shooters Hill Sixth Form College (this is by no means an exhaustive list):

Democracy

The principle of democracy is consistently reinforced, with student voice regularly consulted. All students are encouraged to give their views of their experiences at the college and their recommendations for the future through the use of questionnaires/surveys. Students are encouraged to join the Student Leadership Council, our main student advocacy body. The Leadership Council is comprised of representatives from across different study programmes at the college, and within the Leadership Council students elect their peers to various leadership roles. Active engagement of students within the UK democratic process is also encouraged through annual voter registration drives, run by students. The principle of democracy is also explored in subjects such as History and Politics, along with the tutorial programme and assemblies.

The Rule of Law

Our students will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives. We want our students to understand that whether these laws govern the class, the College, the community or the country, they are set for good reasons and must be adhered to. This means that clear expectations for behaviour and learning are established and upheld throughout the college by all teaching and support staff. The understanding of the importance of rules will be consistently reinforced through community engagement through assemblies and our tutorial programme. Throughout the year we welcome visits from members of the wider community including police, asylum seekers and charity workers, covering topics such as domestic violence, human trafficking and hate crimes. Contextualising learning with such visits help emphasise the importance of the rule of law for our students. The importance of adhering to rules and regulations is also explored in subjects such as Protective Services and Criminology.

Tolerance of those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

Through both our pastoral curriculum and the routines of our daily College life, we strive to demonstrate tolerance, helping students to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens who can build a better society for the future. This is achieved through equipping students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity within the school community. Throughout the year we hold events that celebrate differences within our community, for example, during Black History Month, Holocaust Memorial Day, and Pride Month. The importance of tolerance is also explored in subjects such as Sociology and Health & Social Care, along with the tutorial programme and assemblies.

Mutual Respect

Mutual respect is at the core of Shooters Hill Sixth Form College, with our ‘Ready, Respectful, Safe’ strategy at the heart of everyday life at the college. Students learn to treat each other and staff with respect with clear expectations established during Induction. This is evident when walking around the site, with mutual respect being modelled by staff and students alike in both classrooms and communal areas. At Shooters Hill we also believe that great teaching is based on great relationships and our staff work hard to forge strong professional relationships, based on mutual respect with our students and their families. The importance of mutual respect is also explored in subjects such as Childcare and Sport, along with the tutorial programme and assemblies.

Individual Liberty

We invest a great deal of time in creating a positive culture here at Shooters Hill, so that students are in a safe environment where choice and freedom are encouraged. Our broad and varied curriculum offering, from Entry to Level 3, ensures that students are able to choose a study programme that best benefits their individual aims and needs. Furthermore, students are given freedom to choose from a range of extracurricular offerings, including academic and non-academic enrichments, enabling them to exercise individual liberty in shaping their college experience. Students are also able to access advice and guidance to help them choose their next steps into the world beyond college, be it progression to university, employment or apprenticeships. The importance of individual liberty is also explored in subjects such as Psychology and Art & Design, along with the tutorial programme and assemblies.

 

 

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