British Values: a thread through education
Instilling British Values in schools isn’t a bolt-on, but an important thread that should run through everything.
Senior HMI Joan Hewitt shared her insights into how schools can comply with the obligatory Prevent duty, as well as promoting British Values to their pupils, at a SCHOOLS NorthEast event on Tuesday 24 November.
Head Teachers heard that their schools don’t need a particular policy on British Values, but all other policies must reflect the Prevent agenda.
The Senior HMI told the audience that radicalization and extremism are seen as a safeguarding issue to Ofsted, and schools need to be vigilant.
Delegates also heard from Ian Kershaw, Chief Executive of the Northern Education Trust and lead adviser in the Trojan Horse investigation.
Mr Kershaw related the investigation into the Birmingham schools step by step, concluding that they had discovered large gaps in education, a huge negative impact on staff, lack of long-term intelligence about schools due to Local Authority staff shortages, and pupils having been deprived of their rights.
An open discussion also took place, where Head Teachers shared best practice on how they promote British Values in their schools, giving examples such as having pupils apply to be on the school’s radio and writing in the school’s blog.
Those present at the event concluded that their schools were already doing many of the suggested activities for the benefit of the children.