British Values

St Charles’ is our school with Jesus at the heart, where we share the joy of the Gospel.

We work to be the best we can be and live life to the full. We respect and care for each other in a welcoming place. Together we follow in Jesus’ footsteps in our living and learning.

This is how we promote fundamental British values of democracy, respect and the rule of law.

We agree with the Department for Education’s five part definition of British Values:

Democracy
The rule of law
Individual liberty
Mutual respect
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

We believe it is incredibly important that these British Values permeate through every school in the country. At St Charles' you will encounter these values throughout our everyday school life.

Our Statutory Inspection of Catholic Schools (Section 48) report recognised us as an ‘Outstanding’ Catholic School. This means that our school is distinctively and recognisably a Christian institution. We believe that our Christian identity plays an important role in upholding British Values within our school community.

Our values are underpinned in our school mission which correlates with our British Values. Below is just a snap shot of how we promote these values in our school community.

Democracy:

Pupil voice plays a big part in life at St Charles'. Our Junior Leadership Team (JLT: School Council), Eco council and Mini Vinnies play an important role in our school. They are elected by their class peers and are involved in making St Charles' a better place to learn. The active participation of our pupils sows the seed for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in the future.

The Rule of Law:

Our pupils will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives. We want our pupils to understand that whether these laws govern the class, the school, the neighbourhood or the country, they are set for good reasons and must be adhered to. This understanding of the importance of rules will be consistently reinforced through Collective Worship, assemblies and our curriculum. The involvement of our pupils in the creation of the school 'Footsteps' helps them to understand the reasons behind rules and the consequences if rules are broken. Throughout the year, we welcome visits from members of the wider community and local parish. We believe that clear explanations and real life stories emphasise the importance of the Rule of Law for our pupils.

Individual Liberty:

We invest a lot of time in creating a positive culture in our school, so children are in a safe environment where choices and freedoms are encouraged. We offer a range of clubs which pupils have the freedom to choose from, based on their interests. Through our E-Safety, Collective Worship and PSHE sessions, we educate children on their rights and personal freedoms as well as supporting them in recognising how to exercise these freedoms safely. At St Charles', we believe that valuing choice and freedom in daily school life will foster a value for individual liberty as the children embark upon their adult lives.

Mutual Respect:

Mutual respect is part of daily life at St Charles'. Every aspect of the curriculum, our 'Good to be Green' behaviour system and our Behaviour Policy promote respect for one another. It could be said that each of the other four of the five part definition of British Values require mutual respect.

Tolerance and Respect:

Whilst we are a Catholic school, we offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which other faiths are studied and respected. We follow the Hexham and Newcastle 'Come and See' programme of study for RE. At St Charles', we strongly believe that tolerance is gained through knowledge and understanding. Through our curriculum and the routines of our daily school life, we strive to demonstrate tolerance and help children to become knowledgeable and understanding citizens who can build a better Britain for the future. We will not tolerate any racist, disability, homophobic or trans-phobic abuse or bullying. This will be reported to the local Safeguarding Services.

We believe our pupils leave our school confident, proud of their own achievements and ready to embrace the changing world around them. We nurture them as they grow and leave us having adopted the British Values and our school ethos, eager to start the next chapter of their life and learning.

We work within the statutory framework to address issues around radicalisation and extremist behaviour. This is addressed through our SMSC provision, school assemblies and community links. Any concerns will be reported to the Local Safeguarding Services and Northumbria Prevent team.