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At Annfield Plain Junior School, we promote a school ethos which is underpinned by core values.  These values support the development of the whole child as a reflective learner within a calm, happy and purposeful atmosphere.

Our school defines a value as:

-How we are with each other;

-A quality by which you are judged by society;

-A quality by which we live/aspire to live by.

 

At Annfield Plain Junior School, we believe that Annfield Plain Junior School’s Vision and Values Programme has a crucial role in raising achievement, encouraging emotionally intelligent, articulate learners. Our vision and values programme is the basis for school’s social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and moral development of the whole child. Our vision and values education is inclusive of quality teaching and learning, whilst making a positive contribution to the development of a fair, just and civil society. It embeds our school’s equality, diversity and inclusion values.

 

Our vision and values programme is delivered discretely in classes, as well as delivered in: assemblies including the use of picture news, PSHCE curriculum, in house teams, as well as through the School Council, Rights Respecting Ambassadors and Eco Group, visits and visitors.

 

Inclusive of our school’s vision and values programme are British values, protected characteristics and Unicef’s articles for the rights of children, embedded in school’s rights respecting agenda.

 

British Values

At Annfield Plain Junior School we are proud that our values are a true reflection of British Values.

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At Annfield Plain Junior School, the British values of: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance are regularly promoted through curriculum delivery, assemblies and a positive behaviour policy. These allow pupils to develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

( I = individual liberty,  r (really) = rule of law, d (do) = democracy, m (matter) =mutual respect and tolerance).  I really do matter.

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At Annfield Plain Junior School, British history is taught and includes: changes in Britain from the stone-age to the iron-age; invaders and settlers: the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain, comparisons of Romans in Britain to the Anglo-Saxons & Vikings; Victorians and a local study.

 

As a whole school, we celebrate British events such as the Olympics and Para- Olympics, the Queen’s Jubilee and the King's coronation. 

 

Individual liberty:

Through the school curriculum, teachers provide children with opportunities to be aspirational, learn to challenge themselves and develop confidence and resilience.  Commando Joe’s character education programme, zones of regulation and

rights respecting agenda support pupils to develop this.

 

Children’s achievements are celebrated in the end of week celebration assembly, as well as the house point system.  PSHE sessions cover stereotypes and keeping themselves safe.  Weekly current affairs “Picture News” exposes children to a range of issues, allowing new interests to develop.  These can be followed up using P4C (philosophy for children) inquiries.

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There are many opportunities where pupils are given the freedom to make choices: of responsibilities e.g. whether they become buddies, playground pals or librarians, etc; through lunchtime activities e.g. yard games, quiet area or library; lunch options; of participation in extra-curricular clubs, choice of local charities to fundraise for.

 

Rule of Law:

All staff consistently follow the behaviour policy, having high expectations of behaviour and behaviours for learning.  The school’s behaviour system supports pupils to have high expectations of their own and others’ behaviour.  The rights respecting agenda and school responsibilities of: house team captains & vice-captains, school council, eco group and rights respecting ambassadors, playground pals and buddies, help pupils to learn to understand that rules and laws are important; they are used to protect them.  Pupils also know that everyone is responsible for the rules. Visits and visitors support pupils to understand this too e.g. police with workshops on e-safety, anti-social behaviour and hate crime.

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The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout school, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. We are a Rights Respecting School. Rights respecting charters, explaining pupils’ rights and responsibilities are designed by pupils in their house teams, classes, school council and for lunchtimes annually. Pupils also take part in house team activities and assemblies, which reinforce the rights of children around the globe, as well as the rights and responsibilities of living in the local community, our country and the world.

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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. Visits from authorities such as the Police, Fire Service, Wardens, etc. are regular parts of our assemblies and help reinforce this message. The concept of the Rule of Law is also reinforced through activities in our PSHCE and Life Skills curriculum.

 

Democracy:

Pupils in our school have a voice, know it will be heard and can listen to others.  School council, house team captains and vice-captains, eco group, rights respecting ambassadors and playground pals/buddies all support other to have the opportunity to express their views.  Pupils learn to peacefully challenge perceived injustices with the support of P4C (Philosophy for Children) conventions (I agree to disagree/accept alternative opinions) and inquiries.

 

Mutual respect and tolerance:

R.E. (Religious Education) and PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship Education), as well as visitors and visits help pupils understand that people’s faiths and beliefs are different and respect that.  Pupils are encouraged to demonstrate respect for other people’s ideas, views and opinions, even if they differ from their own.  Respect and tolerance are modelled through real-life learning and pupils are expected to show this through speech, behaviour and body language working with the school and local community, as well as national and global links.  Pupils are encouraged to actively respect themselves, each other, school, the environment and their local community through a range of collective projects with local schools, litter-picking, joint events. Community links are well established.

 

Where pupils find mutual respect difficult, additional support, through a range of social and emotional interventions is provided. This is provided for individuals and small groups of children, to help develop self-esteem and the concept of respect.

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Tolerance is developed through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity e.g. through RE, PSHCE, assemblies, our life skills curriculum, and philosophy for children inquiries. Discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying are regularly held. Visitors and visits e.g. Red Cross “Refugees” workshops, Newcastle United Football Club’s “Show Racism the Red Card” workshops, Sunderland Football Club's “Tackle-It” anti-bullying workshops and visits to different places of worship, all enhance the work routinely undertaken in school.

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Protected Characteristics

At Annfield Plain Junior School, protected characteristics are aspects of a person’s identity which are protected under the Equality Act 2010.  Pupils are taught not to discriminate against others based on age appropriate delivery of the nine characteristics of: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.  Pupils are encouraged to promote a fairer and more equal society through Annfield Plain’s Big Promise, use of assemblies (which are reactive to current global, national, local and school events), our PSHCE (personal, social, health, citizenship education), religious education lessons, rights respecting agenda and our use of Philosophy for Children to discuss issues.

 

Pupils are taught about discrimination being the unfair treatment of people and groups often created through negative stereotypes e.g. around gender leading to sexism, around race leading to racism.  This can take the form of persecution, harassment or bullying.

 

Pupils are taught about prejudice being the judgement of someone or something without knowing enough information about that person or thing. This can lead to stereotypes.

 

Pupils are taught about hate crime and the police support school in delivering sessions.  Pupils learn that hate crime is a criminal offence motivated by hostility or prejudice based on disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity.

 

Pupils are taught through assemblies, visitors and PSHCE that disabilities can be visible and invisible (ASD, visual impairments, hearing loss, learning disabilities, breathing problems).

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We use the following documents to deliver our values and visions programme:

 

Annfield Plain Junior School’s Vision and Values Programme

 

Annfield Plain Junior School’s Vision Document

 

Bobby Brain’s Magic Habits for Learning and Life

 

De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats

 

Annfield Plain’s Big Promise

 

Spirit of the Games

 

Commando Joe’s Character Education

 

School Council and House Teams Annual Year Plan

 

Rights Respecting Ambassadors’ Annual Year Plan

 

Eco Group Annual Year Plan

 

World of Work Year Plan

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Annfield Plain’s Big Promise