The word democracy means “rule by the people.” It comes from the Ancient Greek words demos (“people”) and kratos (“rule”).  It is a fundamental British value, through which we acknowledge that everyone is entitled to contribute to how our country is run.

The principles of democracy are embedded in our school’s three core values:

C1       We respect our children’s individuality, encourage creativity and support every child to make to               the most of their abilities.

At Barrowby Church of England Primary School, Pupil Leadership is actively encouraged. During their time at school, all our children have the opportunity to stand for a wide range of leadership opportunities, including School Council, Sport's Committee and as House Captains and Vice Captains.  Through these roles they learn to listen to, and respect, the views of others, and that leadership is both a privilege, and a responsibility.

C2       We want our pupils to leave our school as a well educated, self confident and caring member of              society.

At Barrowby Church of England Primary School, all pupils vote to elect representatives to pupil leadership positions within school. In this way children are able to learn about, and value, the democratic process, and come to understand that this is the way our country is governed.   They know that their voice is heard, but also that everyone’s views count equally. This helps them to become active members of a democratic society.

C3        We promote equality of opportunity for all, irrespective of gender, race, creed, ability or                           disability.

The democratic processes within school ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to contribute to school development.   All members of our school community, including pupils, staff, governors, and parents have the opportunity to play a role in making decisions in our school – for example, as part of the committee that designed our new library.

An important part of British values is the understanding that any society or community can only work well, and protect all its members, if there are rules which everyone is expected to follow.

The importance of the rule of law is embedded in our school’s three core values:

C1          We respect our children’s individuality, encourage creativity and support every child to make                  the most of their abilities.

Children are taught that it is important to have rules, to ensure fairness and safety for everyone.  They are encouraged to participate in discussing their class rules.  They know that they are expected to obey rules within school, and that there may be sanctions if they do not do so.  Children understand the school rules, the reasons behind them, and that they are fair. 

C2          We want our pupils to leave our school as a well educated, self confident and caring member                  of society.

Children are taught to respect authority, and are given the opportunity to learn about the roles of authority figures within our society through visits and assemblies. They understand that there are people who do not keep the rules, and that they must take steps to keep themselves and others safe. Children are taught the importance of road safety, through schemes such as ‘Bikeability’, and e-safety.

C3           We promote equality of opportunity for all, irrespective of gender, race, creed, ability or                             disability.

Children are encouraged to take an active part in promoting the rule of law, through a variety of roles within school, such as Junior Road Safety Officers, and monitors for a range of areas within school.  Children understand that rules and laws apply equally to everyone, and they see this in action in school every day.

The liberty of individuals, to be themselves, and to express themselves is an important part of our understanding of being British. 

The principle of individual liberty is embedded in our school’s three core values:

C1         We respect our children’s individuality, encourage creativity and support every child to make                   the most of their abilities.

Every child in our school is valued as an individual, and we aim to allow their unique personalities to shine through. We come to know our children very well, and celebrate their different gifts through opportunities for them to share their interests in class, and with the whole school.

C2        We want our pupils to leave our school as a well educated, self confident and caring member of              society.

Children are encouraged to be reflective, and to learn to take responsibility for themselves.  This includes reflecting on their own work.  Within our school community, they are able to develop an understanding of how the concept of personal liberty works within a society.

C3        We promote equality of opportunity for all, irrespective of gender, race, creed, ability or                           disability.

Children are encouraged to develop as individuals, and to understand that others are equally entitled to do so.  By being part of our school, they learn that within individual liberty, there is a responsibility to respect the rights of others.

Respect and tolerance are vital in any civilised society, and have long been a key part of being British citizens. It is of the greatest importance that our children learn to understand and respect each other, and other members of our local and wider community.

Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs is embedded in our school’s three core values:

C1         We respect our children’s individuality, encourage creativity and support every child to make                   the most of their abilities.

All children are encouraged to develop their interests and skills, and to be open to learning new things. A very extensive programme of extra curricular activities allows them to explore different interests.   Our exciting and creative curriculum encourages children to learn about the world, and to understand that there are many different faiths and beliefs. They learn that it is acceptable to have strong beliefs, and to uphold them firmly, but that it is also important to understand that other people have equally strong beliefs which must be respected.

C2      We want our pupils to leave our school as a well educated, self confident and caring member of              society.

It is of the greatest importance that our children should learn to become strong, tolerant and respectful members of our society. They are encouraged to explore these ideas through PSHE and RE. In Collective Worship, children are encouraged to celebrate, to consider the needs of others, and to develop their knowledge and understanding.   They are encouraged to explore spirituality, within the Christian ethos of our church school, and with an understanding of other faiths and beliefs.  School visits to places of worship, and visits by members of different Christian denominations, and other world faiths encourage tolerance and respect.  Children and staff are encouraged to discuss their own faith and cultural traditions.

C3      We promote equality of opportunity for all, irrespective of gender, race, creed, ability or

          disability.

All children in this school are accepted for who they are, and this is evident in the strong family atmosphere of our school.  Bullying or abusive language is not tolerated.  Some of our children belong to families with an active faith, many do not. All are encouraged to develop an understanding of our Christian ethos, and to understand that key elements, such as the need to care for others, to help those in need, to behave well, to seek the good of all, and promote the common good, are found in other world religions.  They also learn about some of the differences between faiths, and that it is acceptable to discuss these differences, and to disagree with one another, within a framework of friendship and mutual respect.