Democracy
Pupils at Greenfields have many opportunities for their voices to be heard including:
- An active school parliament that meets to discuss issues raised by classmates
- An active environment committee which meets regularly to make environmental changes around school. Both of these initiatives helps demonstrate how citizens can influence decision making through the democratic process
- Assemblies/school activities to promote an understanding of how democracy works in Britain – including ballots on agreed issues (eg to determine how we are to organise a rota for the top playground to incorporate tag rugby) pupils understand that the views of many are taken into consideration
- Pupils/class voting for School parliament reps
- House points/dojos
- Annual pupil surveys (eg. on feeling safe, behaviour)
- Staff (subject leader) interviews with pupils as part of subject 360 in school
The Rule Of Law
The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school or the country are consistently reinforced through the school as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies.
Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.
Examples of some of the ways in which this is done include:
- Specific assembly on The Rule of Law and how rules at school and laws in our country protect everyone.
- Our School Behaviour Policy. This is the ethos through which we teach children our behaviour expectations, and which helps direct how we all behave in school.
- Pupils have regular opportunities to reflect on their learning and behaviour during assemblies and class PSHE sessions.
- We follow the ‘Darwin principles’, these help us to become independent learners and good citizens.
- We are taught the values and reasons behind laws.
- Pupils have visits from the Police community Support officers to reinforce our understanding.
- We have a Home-School Agreement across the school, which is in our printed reading planners which are our home-school link.
- Drugs awareness programme for Year 6.
- Cycling proficiency course for Year 5 and Year 6.
- Crucial Crew visit for year 6.
- Class rules and dojos negotiated with the children in PSHE week during September.
Tolerance
Greenfields Primary School is situated in an area which is not particularly culturally diverse and therefore we try hard to make sure we have a culturally diverse curriculum.
This includes:
- MFL a comprehensive teaching programme to introduce and develop a different world language
- Multicultural week includes insights into culture, climate, currency and governance of other countries including art activities
- Stories from world faiths and cultures (collection of SMSC books in each classroom)
- Assemblies at relevant times to support curricular studies. These have included Maypole and Morris dancing, Open The Book Christian assembly with time for reflection and prayer, assemblies (including class assemblies) on Saints days and the main world faiths on a cycle throughout the year, including non-religious ideas such as Chinese New Year celebrations
- RE – GPS follows the locally agreed syllabus including the study of major faiths
- Visits to the local church and a range of places of worship where possible and relevant visitors from other faiths
- Reflection opportunities in assemblies
Being a part of the community:
- Achieving in sports, arts and other areas.
- Sharing our talents and make other members of our community happy.
- Supporting our school to raise money to improve our opportunities (fairs, fundraising)
- Raising money for our sponsor children in Tanzania to give them an education.
Mutual Respect
Mutual respect lies at the heart of our values. Pupils learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others.
All members of the school community treat each other with respect:
- PSHE (including the broad headings of SEAL) taught across all year groups as part of our PSHE curriculum
- Positive teacher-pupil and teacher-teacher relationships are encouraged and modelled
- Inclusive ethos
- RE curriculum
- Anti-bullying and e-safety week
- Sex Ed programmes of study
- Sports teams
- School Parliament
- Assessment for Learning – pupils understand why and how they are shown to improve
- Peer assessment
- Ex-pupils coming back to be involved in events like Sports Week
- Paired Reading Buddy activities promoted every two weeks
- Partnership sports links with local schools (Belvidere secondary)
- Extra-curricular clubs run by staff
- Singing assemblies
Responsibility and individual liberty
Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate pupils about and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely. Pupils are encouraged to know and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely. For example, through our e-safety and PSHE lessons or in choosing which clubs they would like to attend.
Other relevant activities include:
- Understanding responsibility in school in terms of behaviour and learning attitudes – following the Golden rules.
- Pupils’ roles in school – pupils are given positions of responsibility: Head boy and girl and deputies, House Captains, Sports leaders, sports captains, School helpers, Buddies, School Council members of parliament, and in KS2 Milk Monitors
- An average of 8-10 clubs running each term.
- Local and national fundraising: McMillan coffee morning, Children in Need, Comic Relief, Sport Relief, Big Yellow Friday.
- First Aid training for Year 5 & 6 pupils
- Tending the school garden/crops in FS2
- Harvest Festival –
Residential visits in Year 5 and 6
- Outdoor learning areas, environment Weeks, Wellie Wednesday (EYFS)
- Safer internet work through PSHE
- Child Line assembly and workshop in year 5 and 6
- Remembrance Day observed across the school
- English and topic work – moral/ethical discussions/dilemmas eg. should primary school children use social media? Debate in English