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British Values & SMSC
BRITISH VALUES AT ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE
At St Ignatius College we recognise that each student is a member of God’s family and as such, is a unique person at his/her own point in the journey of faith. We provide a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment with a warm and welcoming atmosphere in which to live and learn. In order to achieve our mission (the development of the whole person) we recognise not only the importance of allowing students to flourish academically but we also embrace our wider role in preparing them for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum. Part of our role in that preparation is ensuring that we promote and reinforce British Values to our students and that they proceed to adulthood with dignity and confidence. The government sets out its definition of British Values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and considers them to be democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs. At St Ignatius College these values are reinforced and permeate the community at every level.
DEMOCRACY
At St Ignatius College the principle of democracy is consistently reinforced, with the democratic process being employed for important decisions within the school community, for instance, elections being held for the College Council, for our College Captain and wider Captaincy Team, and for our leadership roles for students. The principle of democracy is explored in History, Religious Education, and the Magis Curriculum as well as in form time and assemblies.
THE RULE OF LAW
The importance of laws (whether they be those that govern the class, the college, or the country) are consistently reinforced in learning throughout the college, through assemblies, and when dealing with behaviour. Students are taught the values and reasons behind laws (that they govern and protect us), the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences arising when laws are broken. Positive behaviour to and from school is reinforced through assemblies and by Senior Leadership Team members' presence at the train station, bus stop and school gate every day. Social Justice is a very important part of our identity due to our promotion of Catholic Social Teaching. We teach students how to channel their disagreements through the SHARP system, College Council, debates and tutor time. Our Ignatian Code of Conduct establishes a clear use of rewards and sanctions when appropriate and staff give a clear reason for the distribution of rewards or sanctions.
INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY
Within St Ignatius College, students are actively encouraged to make independent choices knowing that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. As a college we educate and provide boundaries for students to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and receive advice about how to exercise these safely, for example through our exploration of E-Safety in computing.
MUTUAL RESPECT
Respect, personal behaviour and self-discipline are at the core of our ethos and these are modelled by students and staff alike. The college promotes respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning environments. In line with our commitment to democracy, students at St Ignatius College are always able to voice their opinions and we foster an environment where students are safe to disagree with each other. Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum from the concept of ‘fair play’ in PE to our student peer-mentoring programme which promotes mutual respect and support between students across different year groups within the college.
TOLERANCE OF THOSE OF DIFFERENT FAITHS AND BELIEFS
St Ignatius College is a distinctive Jesuit Catholic college for All. Our strong ethos is inclusive of all faiths and those with no specific faith and we promote a strong sense of community. This is achieved through equipping students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity within the school community. Students are given opportunities to be of service to the local community, the Church and society in general irrespective of race and creed. We also run a number of trips abroad throughout the academic year from which our students gain valuable experience of other cultures and languages. Additionally, students are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school. Our Religious Education curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures, while we provide an extensive and valuable induction to all staff and students who are non-Catholic.
The community at St Ignatius College actively contributes positively towards the British Values agenda by putting our motto ‘Men and Women for others’ into action daily.
SMSC AT ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE
Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural education is at the heart of St. Ignatius’ vision. Senior and in particular middle leaders play a crucial role in encouraging staff to prioritise and develop their thinking around SMSC. With the pressure of high exam performance and closing the attainment gap, leadership has sent a clear message that high quality, integrated and well-thought-through SMSC provision is part of the answer rather than an additional bolt on to be covered on top of those commitments.
SMSC is clearly embedded throughout the curriculum at St. Ignatius. Learning Coordinators and Subject Leaders shape the curriculum to address each element of SMSC wherever possible. As a catholic school spiritualism and self-reflection is highly valued and promoted.
