British Values

QES and QEStudio are values-led schools. We recognise not only the importance of allowing students to flourish academically but we also embrace our wider role in preparing them for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum.

Our working values all based on our founding values of “Scholarship” and “Care”, and are:

Respecting traditions and the past
Working hard and doing your best
Being decent to people
Being friendly, polite and courteous
Looking out for other people
Getting involved
Respecting the environment
Thinking of others less fortunate
Encouraging global citizenship
Understanding life is about more than money or material things.

Alongside our school values, part of our role in preparing our students to be active and impactful members of their local and wider communities, is ensuring that we promote and reinforce British values. This includes demonstrating to them the importance of actively living these values in all of our daily lives.

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2015 Prevent Strategy and considered them to be democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs. At QES and QEStudio these values are reinforced in all aspects of our work and permeate the school community.

The examples that follow are an indication of some of the many ways we seek to embed British values at QES and QEStudio and should be seen as an indication of our approach rather than an exhaustive list.

The Department for Education identify this five-part definition of British Values:

Democracy

Making Decisions Together

At QES and QEStudio the principle of democracy is consistently reinforced, with the democratic process being employed for important decisions within the school community, for instance, hustings and elections being held for Senior Students in sixth form and the representation of pupil voice through our Year 11 prefects. The principle of democracy is explored in history, the Positive Contribution strand of our PD curriculum and in our RPE curricula, as well as in tutor time and assemblies. We have an annual visit form our MP. Students are also encouraged to participate in the school’s mock elections that take place alongside national general elections.

The Rule of Law

Understanding why rules are important

The importance of laws, whether they be the agreed expectations that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout every school day, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. The Rule of Law runs through all aspects of the PD curriculum, e.g. RSHE, Citizenship, Health Education, Careers and others. Students are taught about protected characteristics, about the values and reasons behind laws and their history, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.

Individual Liberty

Freedom for all

Within QES and QEStudio students are actively encouraged to make independent choices knowing that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for students to make choices safety, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and receive advice about how to exercise these safely, for example through our exploration of online safety in PD and in PD+ during tutor time activities. We aim to foster an understanding of how to balance individual rights alongside protecting rights of others, e.g. the Geography curriculum on UN sustainable development goals.

Mutual Respect

Appreciating each other

Respect and treating one another with decency and kindness is at the core of our school ethos and is modelled by students and staff alike. The school promotes respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning environments. Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum from the concept of ‘fair play’ in PE to the student mentoring and buddying programme which promotes mutual respect and support between students across different year groups within the school. We are actively working with local and national partners and stakeholders to educate our entire school community on the origins, impact and extent of racism within our local and national communities and to ensure we are on a conscious and active path to becoming a truly anti-racist school.

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

Celebrating difference and recognising similarity

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 at school, for example through visiting speakers. We also run a number of trips abroad throughout the academic year from which our students gain valuable experience of other cultures and languages. Additionally, students are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school. Our RPE curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures and the History curriculum contextualises the UK’s change in religious freedoms and freedom of belief.

In Summary

Through our curriculum, our daily routines, our inclusive and ever vigilant approach to pastoral care and our high standards and expectations, we believe we can fulfil our aim to develop young people who are independently minded critical thinkers who will leave QES with the ability to use their intellect and skills alongside their compassion in making decisions in the wider world.

They will leave knowing that there are Values they can call upon to act as a measure and guide for adult life. A staff working party continually review our approach as we continue in our journey in preparing young people to make positive contributions to their community and live happy and successful lives.