Promoting British Values
The Department for Education has introduced a statutory duty for schools to promote British Values more actively from September 2014, and to ensure they are taught in schools. Wolverhampton Vocational Training Centre is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multi‐ cultural, multi‐faith and ever‐changing nature of the United Kingdom. It also understands the vital role it has in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.
It follows equal opportunities guidance which guarantees that there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar. Wolverhampton Vocational Training Centre is dedicated to preparing students for their adult life beyond the formal, examined curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British values to all its students.
The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy.
The five key British Values are:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
The school uses strategies within its curriculum and beyond to secure such outcomes for students. The examples that follow show some of the many ways Wolverhampton Vocational Training Centre seeks to instill British Values.
Democracy
The School is committed to collecting and acting on the views of its learners and stakeholders through:
- Questionnaires
- Consultations
- School Council
- Governing Body which includes parents and outside agencies
- Learner and Parent Meetings
The Rule of Law
The school is committed to develop law abiding citizens by:
- Teaching the value and reasons behind the law within a range of settings
- Publishing the school code of conduct that every learner will sign and adhere to
- Enforce consequences of breaking the code and reward learners who keep it
- Inviting authorities in to engage with learners and re‐enforce the message
Individual Liberty
The School promotes the individuals liberty by:
- Encouraging learners to make individual choices within their personal pathway
- Actively promoting and helping learners to express their ideas and views in an open and safe environment
- Enforcing the Schools robust anti‐bullying policy
Mutual Respect
It is important that Learners know their behavior has an effect on their own rights and the rights of others. Treating each other with respect is actively promoted through the code of conduct and the aims of the school. It is further underpinned by the tutorial programme and re‐enforced through behavior management.
Curriculum design includes projects that encourage working in groups and understanding each other’s needs/strengths and weaknesses thus promoting a culture of mutual respect and helpfulness.
Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
WVTC is not a faith school and does not actively promote one faith or belief system over another, Learners are actively encouraged to share their beliefs in an honest and open environment.
Examples of how the school promotes tolerance to different faiths and beliefs:
- Family service once a week encourages informal learner led discussion and promotes tolerance
- Single equality policy enforced within the school
- Celebration of different faiths on key calendar days.
