Values
At South End we are proud of our six shared site values. Children from Reception (at South End Infant School) to Year 6 (with us) will all be familiar with our values.
We believe values are essential skills needed in everyday life.
One value will be introduced and explored each term and we will encourage all our children to become values ambassadors. Children will have the opportunity to earn value stones and demonstrate values on a daily basis.
Each value will be launched in assembly at the beginning of each term.
Term 1 - Respect
Term 2 - Courage
Term 3 - Aspiration
Term 4 - Perseverance
Term 5 - Independence
Term 6 - Pride
Alongside our six core vales, we will also be promoting the British Values, which will be introduced and woven in each term.
All junior children are required to read and sign our South End Signature which helps them identify as belonging to South End Junior School. We use the signature to help guide children when making daily decisions that may affect other people and help them with choices in their learning journey.
Values Ambassadors
Values are an important part of SEJ life.
Each term, we promote one of our six core values. All adults award children value stones that are collected throughout the week and these are celebrated in a Monday morning assembly.
At the end of term, staff members nominate a child in each year group who has demonstrated the focus value on a consistent basis. These four children are celebrated in an assembly
At the end of the academic year, each class teacher selects a child who has demonstrated the six values, all year long, and in an exemplary manner. These children are awarded with values ambassadors badges. These twelve children are known as our values ambassadors.
British Values
The DfE highlights the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs". The government set out its definition of British values in the 2015 Prevent Strategy. At South End Junior, these values are taught and regularly revisited in the following ways:
Tolerance:
Tolerance encourages respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied. It enables children to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law system. Tolerance encourages children to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely. Further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation for and respect for their own and other cultures.
Democracy:
Democracy is rife within our school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our Junior Leadership Team. The elections of our Leadership Team and nominations for head boy and head girl are an important part of our calendar. The Junior Leadership team not only promotes democratic processes, but fosters the concept and application of freedom of speech and group action to address needs and concerns. Key to this is the concept of holding others to account, including those in positions of authority and influence. Our school behaviour policy is applied consistently across the school and school values are firmly embedded. Play buddies are employed over lunchtimes and playtimes to promote collaborative working practices, giving the children a sense of authority and independence.
The Rule of Law:
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Promotion of ‘fair play’, following and developing rules, inclusion, celebrating and rewarding success, being magnanimous in defeat and participation in activities that promote kinship and affiliation with others. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Magistrate services are part of our calendar and help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty:
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school, we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advise how to exercise these safely, for example, through our online safety and PSHCE lessons. Whether it be through choice of challenge, of how they record, of participation in our numerous extracurricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect:
Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy has revolved around our Values and pupils have been part of discussions and assemblies related to what this means and how it is shown. This is reiterated through our daily learning routines and children are rewarded for demonstrating the school values. Children and adults alike, including visitors, are challenged if they are disrespectful in any way. Values are highly visible around the school, and are an important part of our celebration assembly. Our behaviour policy is applied consistently by all staff and is firmly embedded across the school.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:
This is achieved through enhancing pupils' understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. Assemblies and discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying have been followed and supported by learning in RE and PSHCE. Our termly celebration of different festivals ensures our children are aware of other cultures within our society, other than their own. Likewise, we use emerging news articles to learn about different events around the world as and when they occur.
