British Values

What are British values and how to we encourage them?

Back in 2011 the government set out the need for 'British Values' to help everyone live in safe and welcoming communities where they feel they belong.
The DFE recently reinforced this and asks for 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.
At Chasewell Playgroup we incorporate these into our day to day sessions and strive to be part of a community that respects everyone as an individual.
The way we do this is as follows;
Democracy; We ensure all children, their families and the staff are listened to and have their opinions heard and respected. The children are encouraged to make their voices heard, and where they cannot verbalise their needs and wants we adapt by using makaton (simple sign language) and picture cards to help them to make their wishes known. We value every child's views and ensure we tune into them as individuals so they can 'voice' their views.
The voice of law; As a group we are all involved in setting the rules and boundaries of the playgroup and we ensure all children, staff and parents are both aware of them and adhere to them. We speak about choices and consequences should the rules and boundaries not be followed. 
The children are taught about why we have the rules and boundaries, how they keep us safe and the children are encouraged to take part in setting these rules. 
At playgroup we learn to take turns, share, listen and respect our friends and how they feel.
Individual liberty; At Chasewell playgroup we encourage self-confidence, self-esteem and independence in a safe and supportive environment. We encourage the children to explore the environment in a way they choose whilst remaining safe, respectful and courteous of the provision and people around us. 
At snack time the children are encouraged to make choices, and they also get to choose whether they would like to be indoors or out for their time in the session.
Mutual Respect; The children are encouraged to talk about their own thoughts and feelings. We use age appropriate language to talk about our emotions, and we always encourage the children to think about how they feel when rules and boundaries are pushed. We encourage the children to talk to one another when there has been conflict between them and we support them in working out a solution together.  We learn how to play together nicely, using kind words, kind hands and good sharing. We encourage the children to help one another if they are sad and to find ways of making each other feel better. We encourage the children to seek help for their peers if they see they are sad.
Tolerance of different faiths and beiliefs; Chasewell playgroup is an inclusive and diverse environment, where we encourage everyone to be respectful of each others opinions, beliefs and cultures. We support this by learning about various cultures and traditions. We invite parents/carers to come in and share with us about their religious festivals or cultural festivities. We try to celebrate festivals and cultures, through trying foods, learning dances, dressing up in various clothing and watching celebrations through educational programs such as Cbeebies.
We acknowledge the importance of keeping children safe and of the need to monitor concerns about children. We follow clear safeguarding guidelines, monitor children's absences and act accordingly.