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Our British Values
We embrace 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
Students at Skipton Girls’ High School encounter these principles throughout everyday school. Our promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding has been described by Ofsted as being ‘Outstanding’.
Listed below are some examples of how we promote these values in our school community:
Democracy
Our school leadership groups play a strong role in our school. They are elected by students and contribute to school improvement through authentic and meaningful opportunities and activities.
Student voice feedback and questionnaires are conducted throughout the year and as part of our Faculty Review Process. We believe that the active participation of our students will sow the seeds for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in the future e.g. our recent Mock Election, Parliament links and our Democracy events held during PSHE days.
The Rule of Law
Our pupils will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives. We want our students to understand that whether these laws govern the class, the school, the local community 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 gatherings and our curriculum. The involvement of our students in the understanding of the school rules helps them to understand the reasons behind the rules and the consequences if they are broken. Throughout the year we welcome visits from members of the wider public. We believe that clear explanations and real life stories emphasise the importance of the rule of law for our students.
Individual Liberty
We have created a culture so that are young woman are in a safe environment where choices and freedoms are encouraged. In lessons and enrichment/ extra-curricular activities, we encourage students to reflect and make choices.
Faculties build in choice and guide students to make choices which challenge them. We offer a range of enrichment activities which pupils have the freedom to choose from, based on their interests. Through our PSHE/ Well-Being days, we educate students in their rights and personal freedoms as well as supporting them in recognising how to exercise these freedoms safely. We believe that this will encourage students to value the right of the individual liberty and develop a strong foundation for later life.
Mutual Respect
Respect is paramount as a citizen of the UK and the world.
Students learn to treat each other and staff with great respect as this is our central ethos. Respecting the rights of others, including their right to their own opinions is fundamental to learning.
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
At Skipton Girls’ High School we offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and respected. We 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 responsible British citizens.
All students in Year 10 complete a full GCSE in Religious Studies.
