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