The staff of Forest of Teesdale, Rookhope and St John’s Chapel Primary Schools met together during our training day on Tuesday 3rd September 2019 to agree a new shared mission statement and aims for our collaboration of schools.
Our schools’ Mission Statement
“Working together to achieve for all”
Our Schools’ Aims
- We are committed to providing a safe, welcoming and stimulating learning environment, where every individual is valued and supported.
- Our aim is to promote the whole child to be resilient, develop a love of learning and achieve their full potential in a diverse world.
- We will achieve this through working closely with pupils, parents, staff, governors and the wider community.
British Values
Promoting British Values at Forest of Teesdale Primary School
The DfE have recently reinforced 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 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated in 2014. At Forest of Teesdale these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:
Democracy
Democracy is embedded at the school. Pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council and annual questionnaires. The elections of the School Council members are based solely on pupil votes, reflecting our British electoral system and demonstrating democracy in action.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at Forest of Teesdale.
Pupils are taught from an early age the rules of the school. These are our School Rules, Playground Rules and Safety Rules. Each class also discusses and sets its own rules that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules and 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 and Fire Service help reinforce this message.
Individual Liberty
At Forest of Teesdale, 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 informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our eSafety and PSHE lessons.
Mutual Respect
Respect is one of the core values of our school. Our pupils were fully involved in the creation of our school values and it is deeply embedded in all that we do at the school. The pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to everyone, whatever differences we may have and to everything, however big or small. The core value of Respect at Forest of Teesdale Primary School underpins our work every day both in and out of the classroom.
Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Our core value of Respect ensures tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs. Forest of Teesdale Primary School enhances pupils understanding of different faiths and beliefs through religious education studies, assemblies and P.S.H.E. lessons.
At Forest we actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.
