At Deighton Gates, our vision, values, ethos and wider curriculum actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of all faiths, beliefs and backgrounds.

As members of Barnardo’s LGBT Allies Network and partners of the Positive Identities Service, we ensure our curriculum reflects, celebrates and teaches children about the richness of diversity within our school and wider society.

We teach our pupils to show respect for others, with particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010, and to recognise the importance of inclusion, fairness and equality.

What are British values?

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

We work hard to ensure these principles are not just taught but lived, embedded consistently in our policies, our practice, and the everyday life of our school community.

Protected Characteristics under the Equalities Act (2010)

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British Values form an important part of this work. The four values are designed to keep children safe, promote their welfare, and counter all forms of extremism.

From 1st July 2015, the Prevent Duty became a legal requirement for all schools and registered early years providers. This duty requires us to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.”

As part of our safeguarding responsibilities, we remain vigilant to any concerns in a child’s life, whether at home or elsewhere, including the expression of extremist views. The promotion of British Values is firmly embedded in the life of our school and runs through our curriculum, policies and everyday practice. The Counter‑Terrorism and Security Act reinforces this expectation and places a clear statutory duty on schools to help protect children and young people from radicalisation and extremist influences.

What is the Prevent duty?

From 1st July 2015, all schools and childcare providers must have due regard to the need to prevent people being drawn into terrorism. The government has defined extremism in the Prevent strategy as: “vocal or active opposition to fundamental British Values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs."

Schools, under the Prevent duty, will be expected to demonstrate activity in the following areas:

• assessing the risk of children being drawn into terrorism.
• demonstrate that they are protecting children and young people from being drawn into terrorism by having robust safeguarding policies.
• ensure that their safeguarding arrangements take into account the policies and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.
• make sure that staff have training that gives them the knowledge and confidence to identify children at risk of being drawn into terrorism, and to challenge extremist ideas which can be used to legitimise terrorism.
• expected to ensure children are safe from terrorist and extremist material when accessing the internet.

What does this mean in practice?

Democracy: making decisions together, for example giving opportunities to develop enquiring minds in an atmosphere where questions are valued.

Rule of law: understanding rules matter as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development for example collaborating with children to create rules and codes of behaviour.

Individual liberty: freedom for all, for example reflecting on their differences and understanding we are free to have different opinions.

Mutual respect and tolerance: treat others as you want to be treated, for example sharing and respecting other’s opinions.