Democracy is a strong feature in our school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our Pupil Parliament as well as other pupils leadership roles. Children participate regularly in PSHE & SMSC sessions where they can openly discuss issues that they are concerned about. Each academic year, our pupils elect who they would like to be the representatives for their class across all pupil leadership roles, including Pupil Parliament, Eco Warriors, Worship Acolytes and House Captains.
Children are taught the value of laws and rules and that consequences occur when they are broken. The school operates a behaviour system that promotes, recognises and rewards positive behaviour. This is fully embedded across the school.
At the beginning of an academic year, each class devises their own class 'Rights & Responsibilities' and together, agree to follow them. Children will leave our school with a strong sense of right and wrong and understand the need for rules and laws in everyday life.
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through our provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example through our PSHE & SMSC lessons. Children are taught Protective Behaviours from Reception to Year 2 and have a 'Network' of people that they know will support them.
Throughout the school, pupils are given the freedom to make choices whether it be in Grow Time (Child Initiated Learning) in Reception, extra-curricular clubs or the menu choice that they would like each day.
Our school ethos 'Sharing, Caring, Learning and Loving with God' and our Behaviour Policy actively promote love and respect for all. Our assemblies focus on core values and these are constantly reinforced in all parts of school life. Our values-based vocabulary is used daily by all members of staff and embedded contextually for all of our pupils. Pupils also develop their understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination of any kind.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
This is achieved through broadening and educating the children about the culturally diverse world they live in. This is possible through assemblies, learning about the world when raising money for charity and learning from their peers. Throughout the year, pupils also enjoy emersing themselves in cultural celebrations such as Diwali, Christmas, Hanukkah, Raksha Bandhan, Lunar New Year, Easter, Shabbat, Eid and many others.
The school follows the Herts Agreed Syllabus in RE where six major religions are compared and discussed. These are: Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. The school library has a well-stocked 'World Religions' section enabling pupils and adults to discover more about faiths from around the world and within their own community. Children of different faiths are encouraged to share events and celebrations with their classmates. Children are also made aware, through class discussions and learning about religions, that some people choose to not follow any particular faith.