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British Values

The Department for Education has guidance on promoting British Values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

The principles are:

  • A key part of education is to ensure children become valuable and fully rounded members of society who treat others with respect and tolerance, regardless of background.
  • Every school should promote the basic British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs.
  • Young people should understand the importance of respect and leave school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

Examples of the understanding and knowledge pupils are expected to learn include:

  • an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
  • an understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
  • an acceptance that people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
  • an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination