Heathfield Community College believes strongly in delivering the message of the DfE’s Fundamental British Values.
Our fundamental aim is to keep our children safe and ensure we are preparing our students for life in modern Britain as best we can. We deliver this message through the five strands of tolerance, rule of law, democracy, individual liberty and mutual respect. These strands are evident through our curriculum, assemblies and the tutor programme where we are actively promoting the importance of them all.
FBV sits underneath the SMSC blanket as it is vitally important in developing an individual and helping them realise their role within the British society.
We aim to ensure these strands are met in the following ways;
Democracy – the right to vote and say how the country and area is run
Students have a variety of ways to understand and practice democracy.
- PSHEE lessons deliver ho Parliament works
- Tutor Programme covers how democracy works
- Mock elections, mirroring elections in society
- Hustings events involving local MPs prior to any election
- Student Council, which students democratically elect
The rule of law – all citizens of Britain need to follow the law and the consequences of this if they do not
This strand is promoted through everyday student life at Heathfield Community College.
- Explicitly through the PSHEE curriculum, students consider the consequences of their actions and the expectations put upon them, whether it be by the use of drugs or consent.
- We have an effective consequence system in place at the College so students feel safe and they know their expectations.
- They are taught the protocol of how to use the internet in ICT and throughout the tutor programme along with the dangers and the implications of the misuse of the internet.
Tolerance – To be able to accept other people views that are different to our own whether it be political, moral or ethically based and to treat those people equally
- The Anti-bullying Leaders produce activities and promote Anti-bullying week
- War veterans have joined our students and shared their experiences
- Hustings events allow students to listen to views that they may not agree with
Mutual Respect between those of different faiths
- PRE and PSHEE curriculum promotes this throughout College life.
- Holocaust survivor sharing her invaluable experience
- Holocaust memorial event, which reached out to the Community to attend
- Tutor programme has themes such Commonwealth Day
- Assemblies themes such as World Religion Day
Individual liberty – the right to believe, act and express oneself freely
Here at Heathfield we believe very strongly that every child is entitled to the same education as everyone else in the school. Every child matters and deserves an excellent education, which is what Heathfield delivers. We make sure we are promoting this strand through the following:
- Careers advice
- We have superb careers advice offered by the PSHEE department who also work closely with the year group who are choosing their GCSEs. The students have assemblies, PSHEE lessons and a careers evening where they can ask and gain as much insight to their preferred choices before committing to studying them.
- LGBTQ society
- Organise and run charity events
- Debating society
- PRE and PSHEE involve discussion based lessons