Consultation on promoting British values in schools.
The Department for Education today launched a consultation on strengthening powers to intervene in schools which are failing to “actively promote” British values.
Independent schools, including academies and free schools, are already required to encourage pupils to ‘respect’ British values through the Independent School Standards. These proposals will strengthen this standard further, and provide a stronger basis for swift intervention in schools which are not actively promoting British values.
Currently there is no similar standard applied to local authority maintained schools. Ofsted will introduce an equivalent expectation on maintained schools through changes to the Ofsted framework later this year.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
“Keeping our children safe and ensuring schools prepare them for life in modern Britain could not be more important. This change is an important step towards ensuring we have a strong legal basis for intervening in those schools where this is an issue.
“The vast majority of schools already promote British values – this is about making sure we have the tools we need to intervene if children are being let down.”
The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy – values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs – and this definition has been used in the Independent School Standards since January 2013. This definition remains the same in the new standards.
It is expected these strengthened regulations will take effect in September 2014, and will sit alongside the requirements of the Equalities Act which also apply to all types of school.
Schools will be expected to focus on, and be able to show how their work with pupils is effective in, embedding fundamental British values. “Actively promote” also means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values.
Action will also be taken against schools where, for example, girls are disadvantaged on the grounds of their gender – or where prejudice against those of other faiths is encouraged or not adequately challenged.
The consultation will state that:
• extremism should “not form part of the curriculum or teaching and that students are encouraged to respect other people and no student is discriminated against contrary to the Equality Act 2010”;
• the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) standard will be strengthened so that proprietors must “actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs; and encourage students to respect other people, with particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010”;
• the welfare, health and safety standard will be strengthened “by requiring schools to not only draw up relevant policies but to also implement them effectively, and to have effective risk assessments in place to safeguard and promote students’ welfare”; and
• a new requirement for schools will be introduced that they publish their inspection reports on their website.
The Department for Education’s Governors’ Handbook will reflect the new advice and highlight governors’ role in setting and securing an appropriate ethos, and monitoring practice in the school.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The consultation can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/
2013 regulations:
The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school is met if the proprietor—
(a) ensures that principles are promoted which—
(i) enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;
(ii) enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law;
(iii) encourage pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated and to society more widely;
(iv) provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of public institutions and services in England;
(v) assist pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures in a way that promotes tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions; and
(vi) encourage pupils to respect the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs;
(b) precludes the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school; and
(c) takes such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils—
(i) while they are in attendance at the school;
(ii) while they are taking part in extra-curricular activities which are provided or organised by or on behalf of the school; or
(iii) in the promotion at the school, including through the distribution of promotional material, of extra-curricular activities taking place at the school or elsewhere;
they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views.
Regulations to be proposed in next week’s consultation:
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students
The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students at the school is met if the proprietor—
(a) actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; and
(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which—
(i) enable students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;
(ii) enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;
(iii) encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated and to society more widely;
(iv) enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;
(v) further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures
(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010; and
(vii) encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.
(c) precludes the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school; and
(d) takes such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that where political issues are brought to the attention of students—
(i) while they are in attendance at the school;
(ii) while they are taking part in extra-curricular activities which are provided or organised by or on behalf of the school; or
(iii) in the promotion at the school, including through the distribution of promotional material, of extra-curricular activities taking place at the school or elsewhere; they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views.
Thanks
Best regards
Abdihafid Mahamud Jama
London England
