In 2011, the government defined British Values as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We embrace these values through our vision statement, own school values and enrichment activities. Students at Harrow Way encounter these principles throughout everyday school life to help prepare them for life in modern Britain. Our promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural life received high praise at our last Ofsted.

We believe in high standards, a learning environment in which the aptitudes and interests of each individual child are recognised, respected and fully developed. We offer a variety of approaches and teaching strategies to develop each student as an independent, as well as a cooperative learner.

• Our student council are elected by students and contribute to improving the school. The student council feeds back information to the tutor groups who then vote on what they would like implemented. This is used as an opportunity to promote and teach about democracy and the electoral process.
• Student forums and questionnaires are conducted throughout the year. We believe that the active participation of our students will sow the seeds for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in the future e.g Youth Parliament. Our current Youth Parliament representative informs the school of what has been decided through a yearly assembly.
• We encourage volunteering in school. This includes activities like sports leaders and Senior Prefects as well as house captains.
• Democracy is promoted in a variety of ways; RE lessons have a focus in year 8 on the comparison between Britain and a non democratic country and the differences between the two. Democracy is explored in History through the curriculum which unpicks the Cold War and the different methods of government at the time.
• We also have assemblies throughout the year that explore fundamental british values.
• There are a variety of tutor times, including ‘drop down’ periods when students have a whole lesson on a variety of SMSC ideas including democracy, LGBT rights, and differences and diversity are promoted with students having an opportunity to contribute in a variety of ways.

Links to school values:

• Our students will encounter rules and laws throughout their entire lives. We want our students to understand that whether these laws govern the class, the school, the neighbourhood or the country, they are set for good reasons and must be adhered to. There are rewards for exhibiting good and caring behaviour, and consistent demonstration of our values through our stamper rewards and celebration assemblies.
• We have three simple rules of be ready, be respectful and be your best. We use this consistently in lessons and around the school, these rules are also linked to getting their reward stamps.
• This understanding of the importance of rules will be consistently reinforced through assemblies and our curriculum. The involvement of our students in the understanding of the school rules helps them to understand the reasons behind the rules and the consequences if they are broken. Throughout the year we welcome visits from members of the wider public. We believe that clear explanations and real life stories emphasise the importance of the rule of law for our students.

Links to school values:

• We have created a culture so that children are in a safe environment where choices and freedoms are encouraged. In lessons we encourage students to reflect and make choices.
• Departments build in choice and guide students to make choices which challenge them. We offer a range of clubs which students have the freedom to choose from, based on their interests. Through our curriculum, we educate students in their rights and personal freedoms as well as supporting them in recognising how to exercise these freedoms safely. We believe that this will encourage students to value the right of the individual liberty and develop a strong foundation for later life.
• For lessons such as RE and philosophy which do not always have a right/wrong answer students are encouraged to, not only, pursue their opinion but, more importantly, to be able to explain why they think this using logic and reason.

Links to school values:

• We have high expectations about pupil conduct and this is reflected in our Behaviour Policy and Single Equality Policy.
• We teach students to treat each other and staff with great respect as this is our central ethos and one of our three simple rules. They learn to work cooperatively and collaborate, to be supportive and to look for similarities while being understanding of difference.

Links to school values:

• At Harrow Way we offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied and respected. We believe that tolerance is gained through knowledge and understanding. Through our curriculum and the routines of our daily school life, we strive to demonstrate tolerance and help children to become knowledgeable and responsible British citizens.
• We have high expectations about student conduct and this is reflected in our Behaviour Policy.
• Tolerance and acceptance of different faiths and beliefs is promoted through the Hampshire County Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education – Living Difference. Children learn about different religions, their beliefs, places of worship and festivals. The children’s work on this subject or whole school learning in assemblies is often displayed in the classrooms or around the school.
• KS3 RE lessons have several areas of focus; Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam with a specific idea of breaking down stereotypes, negativity and media saturation of certain faiths and ideas.