British Values
In 2011, the UK government set out a new requirement for ‘British Values’ to help everybody to live in a safe and welcoming community where they feel that they belong. These British Values are:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty and mutual respect
- Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
At Buttercups we promote these British Values by:
- celebrating and marking British occasions and festivals
- teaching children to listen to each other and wait before speaking
- showing them by example, how to have a conversation
- being kind, helpful and respectful of others
- promoting good table manners
- listening during story time
- being polite, saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’
- teaching empathy and understanding
- behaving appropriately, learning right from wrong
- taking turns and sharing
- learning British weather patterns and the seasons
- being part of the local community
- making friends and developing friendships
- having mutual respect
- cooking, eating and learning about traditional British food
- celebrating British authors and illustrators.
If you want to talk to us about how we build British Values into the curriculum please speak to a member of staff.
Prevent
In 2015 the Prevent Duty also became law. This is a duty on all schools and registered early years providers to have due regard to preventing people being drawn into terrorism. In order to protect children in our care, we must be alert to any reason for concern in the child’s life at home, or elsewhere. This includes awareness of the expression of extremist views.
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.”
Childcare and Early Years Providers subject to the Prevent Duty are 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.
At Buttercups, staff are trained in the Prevent Duty and we have procedures and practices in place to identify and address any concerns.
