Values Based Education

At Whitefield, we teach children a range of values which help them to work with one another cooperatively and with respect.  They learn the importance of friendship and unity, we teach children to approach life with positivity and hope, and to show empathy and acceptance towards others.  These values make our school community happy and harmonious, a fun place, where children feel secure.

The Programme

At Whitefield Primary Academy every individual is valued for who they are and what they contribute to the school.  The Values Education Programme is intended to support the personal, social and spiritual development of every pupil throughout the school.  The whole staff team and all pupils are involved in promoting values and recognising where others are ‘living the values’. The values developed through the Values Education Programme have been selected by pupils and staff as values which are important within the school community and which will be important throughout life.

Aims

Through the Values Education Programme we aim to:

• Improve behaviour and conduct by developing strong values within the pupils at the school.
• Develop pupils' understanding of what values are and why they are important in life.
• Encourage children to ‘live the values’ in all aspects of their lives both in school and out.
• Promote values to pupils in every aspect of school.
• Promote values in the way in which adults interact with each other and with pupils.
• Display our school values and encourage all visitors to take account of them in their time in the school.
• Encourage parents to support the programme at home by promoting the ‘value of the month’ to parents in newsletters and parent meetings.

Procedures

• The Values Education Programme consists of two sets of 11 values over a two year rolling programme 
• Each month a new value is introduced through an explicit values lesson in each class, with the work generated leading to a classroom display to support children’s understanding of the value 
• Further understanding of the value in the context of the school and the wider community is developed through assemblies and through the value being promoted by all staff in every aspect of school life 
• Assembly themes will be predominantly values based with religious festivals observed and a balance of different religions promoted in teaching our values
• Circle time and PHSCE lessons will be further opportunities to discuss and promote values within each classroom with informal opportunities being utilised whenever possible, e.g. playtime 
• Values are displayed outside the school entrance, in our signage throughout the school, on display in the school hall and within each classroom.  Posters suggesting ways in which the value might be demonstrated are displayed throughout the school and are discussed with pupils 
• Values are promoted to parents through our school brochure, a parent’s guide and through our weekly newsletter with each month’s value highlighted and explained 
• Values are promoted to the community through our website which highlights our values approach 
• The Values Education Programme underpins the school’s Care and Management and Collective Worship policies and is also closely linked to SEAL and RE to further promote values.

Values

We are a Values Based Trust of schools. Values are central to the way we work with each other and with children.  We expect all our stakeholders to model these values to others, especially staff and parents as well as pupils.

Here is a link to our Values Policy.