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British Values

British Values at The Churchill School

At The Churchill School, British Values are at the heart of everyday school life and closely link to our vision of The ART of Being Our Best.

Through our core values of Adaptability, Resilience and Togetherness, we support children in becoming respectful, responsible and confident individuals who are prepared for life in modern Britain.

Our school motto, Champions in Play, Leaders in Life, reflects our commitment to developing children not only academically, but socially and emotionally too. We want every child to feel heard, valued and empowered to make a positive difference within their community.

British Values Across Our School

British Values are not taught as a one-off topic. Instead, they are woven naturally throughout school life through:

  • assemblies

  • classroom discussions

  • PSHE and RE lessons

  • pupil leadership opportunities

  • OPAL playtimes

  • current affairs and news discussions

  • debate activities

  • reading and story exploration

  • everyday classroom routines and expectations

We believe children develop the strongest understanding when values are revisited regularly in meaningful, real-life contexts.

Our Assembly Curriculum

Our whole-school assembly programme plays an important role in promoting British Values and developing character.

Themes across the year include:

  • fairness

  • equality

  • empathy

  • responsibility

  • leadership

  • community

  • resilience

  • kindness

  • safety and wellbeing

Assemblies encourage children to reflect, ask questions, discuss ideas respectfully and think critically about the world around them.

As a coastal school close to Folkestone Harbour and local beaches, we also place importance on promoting water safety awareness and helping children understand how to make safe and responsible choices within our local environment.

The Five British Values

Children explore and revisit the five fundamental British Values throughout their time at Churchill:

Democracy

Understanding that everyone has a voice and that opinions should be listened to respectfully.

Rule of Law

Learning why rules and laws are important in keeping people safe and ensuring fairness.

Individual Liberty

Developing confidence to make positive choices while understanding rights and responsibilities.

Mutual Respect

Showing kindness, empathy and respect towards others within our school and wider community.

Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs

Celebrating diversity and developing understanding of different cultures, faiths and ways of life.

British Values Projects and Debate Opportunities

Each year group from EYFS to Year 6 takes part in a dedicated British Values project linked to age-appropriate themes and key questions.

In EYFS and Key Stage 1, children begin by exploring:

  • fairness

  • right and wrong

  • rules

  • kindness

  • consequences

  • what laws are

As children move into Key Stage 2, learning develops further through exploring:

  • democracy

  • voting and elections

  • representation

  • government

  • Parliament

  • the role of MPs

  • what it means to live in a democratic society

Every project includes a sequence of lessons built around a key question, helping children discuss, reflect and build understanding over time.

Each project ends with a debate lesson where children are encouraged to:

  • share their own opinions

  • listen respectfully to others

  • ask thoughtful questions

  • challenge ideas politely

  • explain and justify their thinking

  • consider different viewpoints

Debate sessions give children the opportunity to develop confidence, oracy and critical thinking skills while learning how to engage respectfully in discussion.

Children may vote at the end of debates through:

  • class votes

  • show of hands

  • secret ballots

  • agree/disagree activities

These experiences help children understand democracy in action and reinforce the importance of every voice being heard.

Debates are often led by the children themselves, allowing discussions to develop naturally and encouraging curiosity, reflection and deeper thinking.

Living Our Values Every Day

British Values are reflected throughout life at Churchill and can be seen in:

  • our classroom environments

  • our restorative approach

  • pupil leadership opportunities

  • OPAL playtimes

  • collaborative learning

  • celebration events

  • charitable work

  • school council activities

  • positive relationships across the school community

By embedding these values throughout everyday experiences, we help children to grow into respectful citizens, confident learners and caring members of #TeamChurchill — truly living The ART of Being Our Best every day.