Children, parents and staff have many opportunities for their voices to be heard at Meadowfield. An obvious example is our school council, where democratically elected children represent their peers in helping to make school decisions. The Council have an annual budget and regular meetings with Governors, which means they have real impact and responsibility for the school and its future. Every year, children will learn about the election process and the impact on the country. Parents have many opportunities to comment about how our school is run. We have annual questionnaires for both pupils and parents, which provide us with a real insight into their thoughts on the school.
British Values
At Meadowfield we have developed a curriculum which reflects all of our pupils and the values of our school.
Promoting British Values in School
The DfE have recently reinforced the need ‘to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.'
The Government set out its definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and those values have been reiterated this year. At Meadowfield Primary School these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
The term British Values might be slightly misleading in that these values are integral to so many countries throughout the world – they differ in no way from the values of the majority of cultures.
The school has a very strong motto of ‘Sowing Seeds for the Future” and this underpins everything we do. ‘Sowing Seeds for the Future’ is at the heart of our curriculum which allows for learning to be meaningful to every child at Meadowfield Primary School. Consequently, the ethos is extremely strong and the school has a very pronounced sense of togetherness.
Our Core Values, which are instilled across school are:
We will sow in our children:
- Self worth: confidence in yourself resulting in respect for others and the world around
- Resilience: capacity to learn from mistakes and to risk take resulting in increasing independence
- Communication: the capacity to express ourselves which creates self worth and resilience/respect and independence
- Ambition: using the values to dream and aim high
Being Part of Britain
As a school we value and celebrate the diverse heritages of all the cultures within our school and what it means to be part of British Society. With approximately 30 different nationalities represented in Meadowfield, we fully embrace and celebrate diversity and the many qualities this brings to our school. As many of our families join our school as non speakers of English, we offer fully integrated EAL support to the children.
Our curriculum reflects, celebrates and teaches children about diversity. Children learn about a wide range of traditions, such as Harvest, Remembrance Sunday, Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Eid and Hanukah. In addition, classes visit different places of worship, such as gurdwaras and synagogues.
We have various fundraising activities throughout the year, including Children in Need and Comic Relief.
We learn about and celebrate a number of festivals annually which enables learning about the many different cultures, including UK countries to take place. This is chance for children and their families to contrast, compare, share and celebrate different traditions.
As a school, we always learn about/celebrate key British Events, such as The Platinum Jubilee in 2022, the Royal Wedding in 2011, Centenary of the outbreak of World War 1 in 2014 and most recently the passing of the Queen and her funeral. For such occasions, we hold special events and do additional curriculum class work about how such events relate to being British. Each year, we celebrate Black History Month and learn about the many key Black figures in history.
In History, children learn about key figures such as Guy Fawkes, Sir Titus Salt, David Attenborough, Kings and Queens, as well as covering many major British historical eras, such as the Victorians, Tudors and World War 2. Added to this our curriculum covers such topics as childhood through history, homes and houses and ways of life in the past and traditional seaside towns.
Our Geography Curriculum makes many references to the United Kingdom, covering countries that make up the UK, as well as major cities, characteristics of seaside towns and comparisons between the UK and other countries, plus weather, rivers and mountains.
Democracy
Rules and Laws
Children learn that rules are set in place to protect us and keep us safe from harm. They use this understanding to create their own rules for the classroom and for other areas of school. Furthermore, through the principals of restorative practice and the knowledge that their voice is valued, children themselves challenge others who break the rules. As a school, we have a set of rules which are consistent:
We are respectful, we value the opinions of others.
We are kind and helpful, we don’t hurt anybody’s feelings.
We focus on our learning, we don’t waste time.
We use active listening and active speaking, we don’t interrupt and we are safe to ask questions.
We look after property, we don’t waste or damage things.
We are honest, we don’t cover up the truth.
Regular visits from authority figures in society, such as the Fire Brigade, Community Police Officers, Nurses, Governors and Faith Leaders reinforce the children’s learning on staying safe and being happy.
Children have created their own reward systems and are also rewarded within school for a wide range of reasons, which demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the rules, i.e. attendance, punctuality, acts of kindness, achievement and good behaviour.
Individual Liberty
Alongside rules and laws we promote freedom of choice and the right to respectfully express our views and beliefs as an integral part of what it is to be British. Children may choose to take part in our very wide range of extra-curricular activities. They have a choice of lunchtime play areas and activities. They are involved in their own learning and respond to their learning by feedback systems and self-review of marking.
They are taught how to use their choices and freedoms safely though our curriculum in areas such as e-safety, anti-bullying, sex and relationship education and drugs awareness education.
As a multi-cultural school, we always endeavour to embrace our families’ different cultures and beliefs, in order for them to express their individual liberty within their school life.
Mutual Respect and Tolerance
Meadowfield is the epitome of cultural diversity, which has allowed our children to grow and develop within a safe, secure and happy environment, where mutual respect and tolerance come as second nature. Our children are taught and know how to show respect to everyone no matter what their differences may be. This is enhanced through our RE and PSHE curricula.
We are very proud that our children clearly demonstrate our mutual respect and tolerance for one another regardless of background.
