British Values
The fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs are already implicitly embedded in the 2017 Early Years Foundation Stage.
Separately, the Counter Terrorism and Security Act also places a duty on early years providers “to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism” (the Prevent duty). The duty came into effect from July 2015.
To help demonstrate what this means in practice we have included the examples given below that have been provided by ‘4Children’ and ratified by the DfE. This illustrates some of the ways these values are rooted in everyday practice at our nursery.
Democracy: making decisions together
As part of the focus on self-confidence and self-awareness as cited in Personal, Social and Emotional Development:
• We encourage children to see their role in the bigger picture, encouraging children to know their views count, value each other’s views and values and talk about their feelings, for example when they do or do not need help.
• When appropriate, we demonstrate democracy in action, for example, children sharing views in a group session with a show of hands.
• We support the decisions that children make and provide activities that involve turn-taking, sharing and collaboration.
• Children are given opportunities to develop enquiring minds in an atmosphere where questions are valued.
Rule of law: understanding rules matter
As part of the focus on managing feelings and behaviour:
• We ensure that children understand their own and others’ behaviour and its consequences, and learn to distinguish right from wrong.
• We negotiate rules and the codes of behaviour with the children, for example, to agree the rules about tidying up and ensure that all children understand rules apply to everyone.
Individual liberty: freedom for all
As part of the focus on self-confidence and self-awareness and people and communities as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development and Understanding the World:
• Children should develop a positive sense of themselves. We provide opportunities for children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and increase their confidence in their own abilities, for example through allowing children to take risks on an obstacle course, mixing colours, talking about their experiences and learning.
• We encourage a range of experiences that allow children to explore the language of feelings and responsibility, reflect on their differences and understand we are free to have different opinions, for example in a small group discuss what they feel about transferring into Reception Class.
Mutual respect and tolerance: treat others as you want to be treated
As part of the focus on people and communities, managing feelings and behaviour and making relationships as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development and Understanding the World:
• We work to create an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance where views, faiths, cultures and races are valued and children are engaged with the wider community.
• Our planning and practice is geared to supporting children to acquire a tolerance and appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; know about similarities and differences between themselves and others and among families, faiths, communities, cultures and traditions and share and discuss practices, celebrations and experiences.
• We encourage and explain the importance of tolerant behaviours such as sharing and respecting other’s opinions.
• We promote diverse attitudes and challenge stereotypes, for example, sharing stories that reflect and value the diversity of children’s experiences and providing resources and activities that challenge gender, cultural and racial stereotyping.