Values Education underpins how we teach to the heart in a moral sense. We can’t know exactly what skills our children will need in the future workplace but we do know that decent, shared human values will stand them in good stead. As a school (the children, parents, staff and governors) we have chosen six values:

• Friendship
• Respect
• Courage
• Resilience
• Responsibility
• Honesty

We focus on one value each half term, although make reference to all of them throughout the year. Through assemblies, class circle time and HRE lessons, we teach children what each of them means, then we ensure we model them and then catch children living them around the school. We reward children who are great role models as well as inviting parents to nominate children, who have shown these actions at home, for certificates.

Alongside our school values, we teach and promote the shared British Values of:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faith and beliefs.

We lay the foundations of these important, but complex ideas for our children at Willow Lane. We teach and promote these values both explicitly and through the culture of our school. We use class and whole-school assemblies, special events and current affairs to focus on different British Values. Our children all have a voice in school that is listened to by teachers and senior leaders. They participate in elections and select children to represent them in the school and on visits to other settings. We have a school council and a number of other roles through which the children are able to lead and share their ideas, and have a meaningful impact on the school and wider community. Our curriculum is designed to give children a wide range of experience of other cultures, faiths and beliefs.  We provide opportunities for children to visit different places of worship and meet with people of different faiths and beliefs. We believe that knowledge of other people, beliefs and faiths leads to understanding, tolerance and respect. Our school rules, clear behaviour policy, and health and relationships education helps children to understand the importance of the rule of law and mutual respect. Our curriculum introduces children to different systems of government to help them understand and compare how different countries and civilisations are/were organised. It teaches children about the achievements and contributions of people from different places, cultures and backgrounds from around the world and from throughout history. We use stories, fables and lessons to discuss freedom, diversity, tolerance and discrimination, and support children in developing respect and empathy for others and an appreciation of British Values.

As a school, these values are lived as part of our culture and ethos. British Values are embedded in our ambitious, diverse and balanced curriculum. They help inform our school policies on recruitment, safeguarding, equality, and inclusion. This ensures our children leave Willow Lane with a strong sense of our School Values and British Values.