Delivering British Values

What is meant by “British Values”?

We believe that the following list exemplifies some of the values held dear by British citizens:

• Democracy
• Respect of the rule of law
• Individual liberty/Personal Freedom
• Tolerance of different peoples and beliefs
• Mutual Respect for diversity
• Equal Opportunity

Although this list is not exhaustive, we believe it encapsulates the attitudes High Tunstall College of Science values and seeks to instil in its young people.  The definitions of each of these values can be seen below:

Though it has acquired a greater urgency in recent years, the importance of schools espousing British values is not new: The 2008 National Curriculum includes the following statement:

• The school curriculum should contribute to the development of pupils’ sense of identity through knowledge and understanding of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural heritages of Britain’s diverse society and of the local, national, European, Commonwealth and global dimensions of their lives
• The 2011 Teachers’ Standards state, as part of teachers’ personal and professional conduct:
• Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
• These values support the national Prevent Strategy, put before Parliament in 2011 by the Home Secretary as a response to radicalisation of British citizens.
• The Prevent Strategy recognises the importance of schools in counter-terrorism activities. Consequently, all schools need a clear statement of British values and how they are promoted through the school’s curriculum

How does High Tunstall College of Science go about promoting these values?

• At HTCS we believe that our statement of vision and values, found on the school’s website, makes explicit our fundamental belief in many of these values. This statement is the foundation of all our work with our students.
• British values are embodied in the following more specific ways:
• Our College’s motto is “Inspire, Support, Achieve”. All students are regularly spoken to about the importance of these three attributes for success in school. Furthermore, our Magnificent 7 at the heart of our Character Education, enable students to be Ready, Respectful, and Safe in the modern world of the UK and beyond and empower them to effectively Think, Talk, Do and Review their learning.
• High Tunstall has a British Values Cross-curricular focus. In order to promote the ‘awareness of British Values’ linked to eventual action. At High Tunstall we also have discrete drivers of British Values through our Tutor Time foci and discussion/participation activities.

Examples of tutor time activities can be seen below.

• All curricular subject areas are audited and mapped out based on the British Values criteria to highlight links to their schemes of work, and therefore staff can make links.
• All areas of college life such as Assemblies, Visits, Speakers, Competitions etc. are mapped out against the British Values criteria to see where the college are promoting these values and what we need to do to develop further.
• To promote British Values through a clear culture, ethos, vision and pastoral strategy/language.
• To promote British Values via strong links with three curricular areas in particular: RE/Philosophy and Ethics, Citizenship and PSHCE (including drop-down events).
• To promote British Values through student leadership bodies/councils and their work conducted.
• To promote British Values via extra-curricular opportunities, House activities, community work active Citizenship and charity work.

• Stakeholders also take part in the democratic process in the following ways:
• By electing their Head Boy and Head Girl each year through hustings and a secret ballot through a first past the post system.
• By holding full mock elections on the occasions, the country votes in a new Government, the Hartlepool bi-election etc.
• By being actively involved in electing the Member of the Youth Parliament for Hartlepool through a secret Ballot.
• By using student voice votes and debates on a half termly basis via our House, Year and College Council systems.

At High Tunstall, we always try to link our work with personal development times, such as PSHCE or tutor time, with home and communications we send. Examples have been around water safety, first aid, online safety and bullying and also on events such as the Jubilee and Ramadan/Eid and the Jubilee – see below: