Vacancies
Facebook
TwitterValues
Intent - what do we teach?
At Chantry Primary Academy, we aim to encourage pupils to develop themselves as confident, caring and capable individuals using, in large part, the Values Based Education principles espoused by Dr. Neil Hawkes. By using this system, the children have a mechanism and reference guide to base their moral behaviour and actions on, which is both theoretically available and usable practically in everyday situations. The values are principles that drive behaviour, influence our actions and attitudes and are a framework for life.
The system gives the children and the adults who work with them a varied vocabulary from which discussions can be engendered and ideals formed. It allows children to take increasing responsibility for their own behaviour and to reason and debate personal values with others.
We encourage children to be aware that others hold different values which should be respected in the way that they would wish their own values to be respected.
Implementation
One specific value is highlighted every month and this value is discussed in whole school assemblies, class assemblies and class lessons. These follow a two-year rolling programme, so that each of our values is spotlighted every two years. Of course, where relevant any value will be discussed and drawn upon as appropriate. Repetition of values is employed as a way of helping the children retain moral concepts in their long-term memory.
Learning about the values is supported through the use of constant age-appropriate examples, stories, visual representation and modelled behaviour. Displays/learning walls are used in every classroom to bring focus to the current month’s value and the values are shared with parents via the school newsletter. A monthly “Learning-Log” homework activity is given to the pupils which is based on the value of the month. This may take the form of a story or poem, some research, a game or an artwork connected to the theme.
A special values role model is selected each week from the different phases in the school, and their achievements are celebrated. This, again, is shared with parents.
Values are also shared with other schools and links have been made between both adults and children.
Impact - what impact is our teaching having?
At Chantry, we have seen pupils becoming confident and comfortable with talking about the values and being able to expound on them and what they mean using the specific vocabulary they have learned and the ideas shared. The values enable staff to discuss any behaviour issues with children in a consistent and recognisably familiar way when dealing with any behaviour issues. The children have become aware that the values are a system that is useful in navigating situations in everyday life, and it enables them to develop tolerance and understanding.