British Values
British Values at Ebbsfleet Academy include Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Development.
British values are central to our curriculum. All subjects include British values, but the bulk of the relevant learning takes place in PPE, Citizenship, RE, History, Geography and English, as well as through tutor SMSC sessions and assemblies. Both written and verbal discussion of British Values in the curriculum focuses upon understanding tolerance, respect, fairness, equality, the law and democracy.
GCSE Religious Studies or GSCE Citizenship is compulsory and students begin their studies in Year 10 and take their GCSE exam in Year 11.
There are three reasons why every student takes these courses:
- To grow their understanding of Britain as a multi-cultural society
- To encourage critical writing and thinking
- To ensure our students have a greater understanding about wider moral and religious questions
In addition to the subjects outlined above British values are reflected in our wider curriculum.
The school’s 2016 Ofsted report identified students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as a strength, and it was said that: “Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Enrichment activities, assembly work and global studies combine well to enhance this aspect of the school’s work. Pupils are well-prepared for life in modern Britain and embrace different cultures.” and “The teaching of spiritual, moral, social and cultural values is well-developed. Pupils learn valuable lessons regarding tolerance for others. Pupils engage in charity work through the house system. They also learn about different religions, cultures, backgrounds and lifestyles though global education. This is reflected in the way that pupils socialise together well during breaktime.”
We actively promote these values through our:
- School ethos
- Weekly assemblies led by a variety of in school and external speakers
- Student voice activities through the student council and Student Ambassadors
- Academy days with varied SMSC and British Values activities
- Healthy schools initiatives and cross curricular enterprise days
- School clubs before, during and after school
- Enrichment activities
- Hosting visits from international schools
- Charity work at the forefront of vertical tutoring
- Sporting events
- Sports leader opportunities
- Educational visits to develop opportunities for learning outside the classroom
- Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme
- Mock elections
We encourage the spiritual development of our pupils to enable them to develop their:
- Ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values
- Sense of enjoyment in learning about themselves, others and the world around them
- Use of imagination and creativity in their learning
- Opportunity to be reflective about their experiences as they grow and develop as young people.
- Annual carol service in St. Peter and St Paul church in Swanscombe
We encourage the moral development of our pupils to enable them to develop their:
- Ability to identify the difference between right and wrong,
- Apply an understanding of respect for the civil and criminal law of England in conjunction with Kent Police.
- Understanding of the consequences of behaviour and actions with restorative justice.
- Interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues.
We encourage the social development of our pupils to enable them to develop their:
- Use of a range of social skills in a variety of contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
- Willingness to participate in communities and social settings by volunteering and cooperating well with other members of the school, local and global community
- Acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
We encourage the cultural development of our pupils to enable them to develop their;
- Understanding and acknowledgement of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
- Understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within the school and externally as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
- Knowledge of Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values
- Willingness to actively participate in and respond positively to creative, sporting and cultural opportunities
- Interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity in Philosophy and Religious Education lessons
Through diverse activities we aim to encourage our pupils to develop their:
- Self-confidence, self-knowledge, self-worth, self-esteem
- Acceptance of responsibility for their behaviour
- Respect for other people (Equality Act 2010)
- Respect for democracy and encouraged future participation in the democratic process.
These skills, attitudes and attributes will allow the students at this school to participate fully and contribute positively to life in modern Britain as a global citizen.