Saint Benedict’s Catholic Voluntary Academy is committed to serving its community.
The school embraces the belief that at the heart of a modern ever-changing community is the acceptance of key British values, which it has a responsibility to promote. In doing so, our learners will be able to grow as individuals and citizens within the community and country in which they live. Under-pinning all our work on Personal Development are our Catholic Values.
Throughout our Personal Development plan, these are closely linked to the British values of:
- Democracy
- Rule of Law
- Individual Liberty
- Mutual Respect
- Tolerance
Students are given frequent opportunities to reflect upon both British Values and our distinct Christian Values in collective worship, personal development lessons, tutor time, curriculum subject lessons and beyond the classroom/cultural opportunities.
Democracy
Students have numerous opportunities to have their views heard through initiatives such as: pupil parliament and the SRSCMAT pupil parliament, voting in tutor groups to elect form representatives, the sixth-form student leadership team, specific students led groups including the chaplaincy team, peer mentors, charity work, modelling behaviour for learning, the assembly themes and throughout the curriculum.
The Rule of Law
Students are taught to have a high regard for the laws that govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.
Students are taught these values and the reasons behind laws, whether they govern the classroom, the school or the country, that are essential for their well-being and safety. Students are encouraged to have healthy debates within personal development lessons on the matter to encourage recognition of the importance of the law.
We organise visits from a range of other agencies throughout the academic year in an effort to reinforce the reality and importance of this message.
Our Behaviour and Rewards policy establishes a clear use of rewards and sanctions, particularly when it comes to restorative conversations and the role of educating pupils, before issuing sanctions.
Positive behaviour to and from school is reinforced through assemblies and by the presence of staff on duty outside school.
Individual Liberty
We foster a safe and supportive environment where students are actively encouraged to make choices. Whether it is completing challenge tasks or BOOST work, or attending an extra-curricular beyond the classroom activity, students have the freedom to base their choices on their own personal interests and ambitions.
Through personal development lessons, students are taught about their rights, liberties and personal freedoms and are encouraged and advised on how to exercise these rights safely.
Mutual Respect
At Saint Benedict’s students are treated with respect and learn to treat each other and staff with respect.
This value is reinforced through our Behaviour and Rewards Policy and posters and key messages throughout the school promoting core values
Pupils are also educated and made aware of the school’s zero tolerance policy on the use of Category A words and gestures. Awareness of these words and gestures is influenced by the Equality Act, 2010 Protected Characteristics. Pupils are taught to embrace and respect the diversity and individual liberty of all pupils and staff at Saint Benedict’s.
Tolerance
We acknowledge that tolerance is achieved through students’ knowledge and understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and the opportunity for students to experience such diversity.
Throughout the year, assemblies are held focusing on key values and themes such as: love, hope, and respect, and woven through them all are references to tolerance through anti-bullying awareness, mental health awareness, and individual differences.
Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs is supported through the curriculum and as part of our personal development programme.
We encourage our students from different faiths or religions to share their knowledge with their peers to enhance their learning.
Curriculum Links
The school seeks additional opportunities to draw links between British Values and curriculum subjects wherever possible to enhance students’ learning. For further information please refer to our Curriculum Intent pages.
