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Click here to go to the announcement.

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made in www.tagul.com
"view original" to see text animation

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The Queen word cloud art created by elly_swanson

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made in www.tagul.com
"view original" to see text animation

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British values word cloud art created by elly_swanson

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Idea: use as a shape for word clouds

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Idea: use as a shape for word clouds

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Uk_outline_map.png

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How to be a FRIEND! Classroom Poster Set with Strategies for School

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Do your students know what it means to be a friend? Could they use some strategies to assist with their friendships around school and in the community? Enjoy this set of 7 classroom (single-page) posters using the acronym FRIENDS to assist them in making good decisions with their

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Free resource from "Teachers pay Teachers)

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All About RESPECT! Classroom Poster Set with Strategies for School

Do your students need strategies to help them with respect? In and around school, with friends and teachers, during competitive times, the list is endless.

This isn't Aretha's R-E-S-P-E-C-T anthem, but you can use this to help student's understand what respect is and means.

This poster set reinforces the ideas and understanding of RESPECT. Each letter in this acronym illustrates a strategy that students and teachers can learn/understand and use to practice respect.

If you like this, then try this:
HOW to be a FRIEND, Full Version
Included are worksheets, an interactive journal kids can create, bookmarks, and more. You can teach all the strategies at once or spread them out so kids can make better decisions!

How to RELAX. Coping skills and strategies
HOW to RELAX, Full Version
Included are worksheets, an interactive journal kids can create, and more. You can teach all the strategies at once or spread them out so kids can make better decisions!

Or check out my BE SOMETHING! Positive Poster Set
Be Something! Positive Thinking Posters

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All About RESPECT! Classroom Poster Set with Strategies for School

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All About RESPECT! Classroom Poster Set with Strategies for School Do your students need strategies to help them with respect? In and around school, with friends and teachers, during competitive times, the list is endless. This isn't Aretha's R-E-S-P-E-C-T anthem, but you can use this to help stud...

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United Nations

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Declaration of Human Rights, simplified infographic 

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Declaration of Human Rights, simplified infographic 

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http://zenpencils.com/comic/134-the-universal-declaration-of-human-rights/

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Are there certain things that make you a British person? Perhaps it's a tradition you follow, the values you have - or maybe it's a British person in history you identify with.

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What does being British mean? - CBBC Newsround

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This week Nel will be going around the country finding out what being British means today.

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Moral Maze, BBC Radio 4 programme, 21/6/16
Chair: Michael Buerk (BBC presenter)
Panelists: Melanie Philips (social commentator), Clare Fox (The Institute of ideas) Anne McElvoy (Public policy Editor, The Economist), Gyles Fraser (Anglican Priest)

Whitnesses: Miriam Francoise-Cerrah (writer & broadcaster, muslim convert, @ 03:21), Alistair Palmer (Former speech writer for Home Secretary Teresa May, @ 11:48), Sunder Katwala (Director of British Future, non partisan thinktank for issues concerned with identity, integration, etc , @ 26:59)

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British Values, Moral Maze - BBC Radio 4

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What are British values, and what role should they play in education? With Michael Buerk.

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Come September and every school in England will be required to promote British values.

Promoting something is not the same as teaching something or having respect for something. One can respectfully disagree. One can inform without endorsing.

What Michael Gove is demanding is that every school in England tell pupils that British values are as good as or better than other people's values.

The distinction is important. Independent schools, academies and free schools must already ensure pupils "respect" British values. "This will be strengthened so that schools must 'promote' British values," says the Department for Education.

"We want to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs," department officials explain.

Is that what teachers should do? We may hold these values dearly. We may believe they offer the best chance for a stable and happy society. We may regard them as superior to all others. But should children be told that as a matter of fact?

Would promoting the rule of law make it more difficult for schools to teach about civil disobedience?

Let us take the first of those values - democracy. "Democracy is the worst form of government," Winston Churchill told the House of Commons in 1947, "except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

It was a good joke, but also a reminder that there has long been a debate about the best systems of governance. Would a teacher who drew pupils' attention to the weaknesses of democracy be in breach of his duty to promote it?

Would promoting the rule of law make it more difficult for schools to teach about civil disobedience? The works of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and John Stuart Mill wrestle with the concept of individual liberty. What definition of this controversial philosophical concept are teachers to push?

And when it comes to mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, how respectful and tolerant should one be? Traditional religious and cultural views on homosexuality, the role of women or sex outside marriage are deeply offensive to many people.

The phrase "British values" is used to mean contradictory things. For some, it is about British as opposed to foreign values, reflecting the traditional conservative instincts of the population. For others, it is about shared values of tolerance and broadmindedness within a multicultural society, a progressive ideal.

These two definitions do not sit happily together. One is a singular fixed identity, the other is an evolving multi-faceted concept. You cannot have both at the same time.

This is not the first time in recent years that politicians have pressed the button marked "British values". A decade ago Gordon Brown encouraged the nation to "think of a Britain rediscovering the shared values that bind us together". David Blunkett, as home secretary, urged ethnic minorities to become "more British" and swear an oath of allegiance.

After 9/11 in 2001, and again after the 7/7 bombings in London in 2005, there was much debate as to how our moderation should suffocate extremism, a belief that British tolerance and fair play be deployed as a weapon against Al Qaeda.

Now Michael Gove demands that England's schools should join the fight by promoting British values. But is that what education is about? It could be argued that instructing schools to be propagandists for anyone's values is a thoroughly un-British thing to do.

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Should teachers 'promote' British values?

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Come September and every school in England will be required to promote British values. Promoting something is not the same as teaching something or having respect for something. One can respectfully disagree. One can inform without endorsing. What Michael Gove is demanding is that every school in England tell pupils that British values are as good as or better than other people's values.

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https://venngage.com/

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British people tend to think there are a distinct set of British values – and most say all schools should instil them in students

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Do BV's exist (use yougov idea): DerbyLearn Choice activity
What are BVs?: Group discusiion, DerbyLearn forum
Photography challenge - take a photo to represent BVs, search for a photo
Imaging challenge - enhance image, create poster (film poster?)
Triptico activities
Class rules: group discussion
Word cloud
Create a leaflet/flyer/poster
Create an infographic

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We have never been especially good at defining what constitutes British values. For more than two decades - and especially since the July 2005 bombings in London - politicians have sought, with varying degrees of success and enthusiasm, to articulate the defining characteristics of the nation. There was a time when this would not have been necessary, since they would have been inculcated into everyone in the land through their schools and shared cultural experiences. In an era of mass immigration and the segregation of some communities from mainstream society, as exposed by the so-called Trojan Horse affair in Birmingham, this is no longer so straightforward.

When politicians are asked to set out what they consider to be core British values, they invariably emphasise abstract concepts such as tolerance, freedom, belief in personal responsibility, mutual respect and fairness - all admirable in themselves but not unique to these shores. They are also values shared by most Muslims and other minorities living in Britain. Indeed, some immigrant communities are often more family-inclined and community-spirited than the settled population.

British values are not just theoretical; they are rooted in the institutions and history that underpin the nation, which politicians are often ambivalent about, or are reluctant to praise unequivocally for fear of offending someone. When the last government introduced citizenship classes for immigrants, instead of it being unabashedly the sort of exercise seen in America - extolling a love of country, its rituals, democratic practices and even the free market - it became more a practical guide to living in Britain and what the entitlements of citizenship might bring.

Writing on this page, Ted Cantle, the former local government leader who carried out an inquiry into the riots in Bradford and other northern cities in 2001, observes that citizenship education has been downgraded, with less priority in the classroom. But teaching citizenship without rooting it in a cultural and historical context is also pointless. So what might a set of shared British values look like?

To begin with, it would emphasise the rule of law, and specifically the common law tradition that can be traced back to before the Norman Conquest. Our society is based on the idea that we all abide by the same rules, whatever our wealth or status. As Thomas Fuller said in 1733, "Be ye never so high the law is above you."

Second is the sovereignty of the Crown in Parliament. The Lords, the Commons and the monarch constitute the supreme authority in the land. In recent years this has been extended to the Supreme Court.

Third is tolerance: no one should be treated differently on the basis of belonging to a particular group. By the same token, all parties, sects, faiths and ideologies must tolerate the existence of their rivals. On the other hand, there should be no toleration at all of unequal treatment of men and women.

Fourth is personal freedom and a presumption against state coercion.

Fifth are free speech and freedom of expression, including an unfettered, vibrant and pluralistic media.

Sixth is a belief in private property and the freedom to buy and sell without fear of confiscation, to transfer ownership, to sign contracts and have them enforced.

Seventh are those institutions that are quintessentially British and capture and reflect its character. They would include the monarchy, the Armed Forces, the Church and, yes, the BBC.

Eighth would be our history and culture. A lack of understanding of the past is instrumental in a failure to comprehend the present. If Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, wants children to learn why British values matter he should make history a compulsory subject to age 16.

Ninth would be our love of sport and of fair play. We are not alone in this; but it is often forgotten that most of the major sports played around the world were codified in this country.

Last, in what is by no means an exhaustive list, is patriotism - not in the pretended sense derided by Johnson as "the last refuge of the scoundrel", but real and generous love of country. It is, therefore, hard to believe that the nation itself is at risk less than 100 days from now, when Scotland votes on whether to sunder it after more than 300 years. The debate about "British values" would then take on a very different perspective.

Finally, here is a suggestion for the Government. If ministers believe so strongly in the concept of British values, then let the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta on June 15 next year be a national holiday.

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The core British values that define our nation

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We have never been especially good at defining what constitutes British values. For more than two decades - and especially since the July 2005 bombings in London - politicians have sought, with varying degrees of success and enthusiasm, to articulate the defining characteristics of the nation.

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http://www.parliament.uk/education/teaching-resources-lesson-plans?page=7&cat=citizenship

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Modern Social Reforms timeline - Houses of History

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Modern Social Reforms timeline - Houses of History

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Interactive timeline

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Resources quick links

Description

This interactive timeline allows students to learn about modern democratic reforms in the UK that have given voting rights to all adults, reduced the voting age to 18, ended the system of hereditary peers in the House of Lords, and devolved power to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly.

Students can:

Follow an historical chronology of 16 significant moments from modern political history in the last 180 years.

Create a project from a template of a newspaper article and add images and quotations collected from the timeline.

Read longer authoritative articles as they travel through the centuries and find recommended links to trusted websites to find out more.

Time required: 30 minutes plus optional writing activity
Learning outcomes

All students should:

Understand an historical chronology and, using this, learn about key political changes from the 1832 Reform Act to the 1999 laws to devolve power to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Learn how the people of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland campaigned for votes for all men and women during 180 years from 1832 to 1999

Evaluate a range of historical sources through images, animations, articles and links to further information on recommended websites.

Most students should:

Learn about the changing relationship between the 'nobles' and the 'common people' in Parliament, and the development of democracy.

Start to understand the different histories and changing relationships through time of the peoples of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Tackle a writing challenge as part of their coursework or homework

For teachers, there are more detailed links to the curriculum.

Practical information

Houses of History requires Flash version 10 or later. You can download this free software and the latest version is: Flash plug-in (link opens in new window).

Access the Help screen by clicking the button marked '?' at the top right of the resource.
The resource is best viewed with a fast internet connection due to the number of images and animations.

Resources

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Modern Social Reforms timeline - Houses of History

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This interactive timeline allows students to learn about modern democratic reforms in the UK that have given voting rights to all adults, reduced the voting age to 18, ended the system of hereditary peers in the House of Lords, and devolved power to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly.

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A short video describing how laws are made in Parliament, designed for classroom use.

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Promoting British values in the curriculum

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Promoting British values in the curriculum

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This article features advice from two of our associate education experts on how to promote British values.

Top tips include:

Use assemblies and collective worship sessions to address how British values are relevant to all pupils

Take a holistic approach rather than focusing on how to cover British values in individual subjects

Develop a strong school ethos which promotes British values

Expectations for pupils

The Department for Education's (DfE's) non-statutory guidance on promoting British values in schools outlines the understanding and knowledge expected of pupils as a result of schools meeting the standard to respect 'fundamental British values'. These include:

An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process

An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law

An understanding of the importance of identifying and combating discrimination

It also sets out actions that schools can take to promote British values.

Promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC in schools, GOV.UK, see pages 5 and 6 (Adobe pdf file) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380595/SMSC_Guidance_Maintained_Schools.pdf

In another article from The Key, you can read more about the requirement to promote British values.

Promoting through the curriculum

We asked one of our associate education experts, Sue Rogers, how subject leaders could show evidence that they are promoting British values in their lessons. She suggested that:

Subject leaders should look at the DfE's list of British values (set out in section 1) and identify opportunities in their subjects where these values can be demonstrated

Teachers could review schemes of work and highlight topics which broadly reflect these values

Schools could look at the following subject-specific approaches:

English: Many books will have themes covering tolerance, mutual respect and democracy. Lessons could look at how these themes are presented and how characters embody these values. Poetry, songs and languages from other cultures could also be examined. Lessons could explore the meaning of concepts such as liberty, democracy and tolerance

Citizenship: Pupils should be able to understand their personal rights and freedoms, and they should be advised on how to exercise these safely. Pupils should have the opportunity to learn about different models of democracy and take part in votes, pupil voice questionnaires and pupil councils. Topics such as anti-homophobia, equal rights, and e-safety should be taught

Religious education (RE): Lessons should reinforce messages of tolerance and respect for others. Children should have the opportunity to visit places of worship that are important to different to faiths. Schools can actively promote diversity through celebrations of different faiths and cultures

History and geography: Pupils should analyse events in UK and world history where British values have been tested such as both World Wars. In geography, pupils could look at how different cultures live and work throughout the world

KeyDoc template: promoting British values

We have produced a KeyDoc that you can use to show how your school promotes British values as part of spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development. It contains a series of questions, with space to record evidence to support each answer.

KeyDoc: promoting British values - template DOC, 105.0 KB Download

Embedding values throughout the school

Sue explained that in some subjects, like maths and science, it would be more difficult to demonstrate British values. However, schools should take a holistic approach wherever possible when teaching British values rather than concentrating on individual subjects.

Bill Bolloten, another of our associate experts, agreed with Sue that the curriculum provides many opportunities for discussing and promoting British values. He added that many schools will already be addressing these through subjects such as personal, social, and health education (PSHE) and RE.

In primary schools, the PSHE curriculum may involve discussions about friendship and how we treat our friends. There are natural connections between this and the British values around mutual respect. Schools can use assemblies and collective worship sessions to address how British values are relevant to all pupils.

Bill cautioned schools against creating a separate curriculum strand for British values. As part of SMSC development, British values are not easily 'taught'. Instead, they need to be lived through the school's ethos and values. Producing a set curriculum or skills progression risks turning British values into a tick-list of activities rather than a meaningful, character-building part of the work the school does.

He advised that Ofsted will be looking for evidence of how British values 'flow through' the school.

Another article from The Key includes more information on how to develop SMSC education.

Informing parents about British values

Another article features a downloadable pamphlet to inform parents about fundamental British values, answering questions such as:

What are 'fundamental British values'?

What does this mean for my child?

What does this look like in school?

Promoting values when pupils are withdrawn from RE

A school leader asked us how a school can ensure it is promoting British values, such as respecting other faiths and beliefs, when parents withdraw their children from RE and collective worship.

Bill told us that schools must respect parents' decisions to withdraw their children from RE and collective worship.

However, teaching pupils to respect other faiths and beliefs should not be limited to RE or collective worship sessions.

British values and SMSC should be embedded throughout a broad and balanced curriculum, as well as in the school's ethos and vision. Sections 3 and 4 of this article suggest ways of doing this.

Bill also stressed the importance of communicating the importance of SMSC to parents, and suggested publishing information about the school's ethos and vision and its SMSC provision on the school website.

Approaches in schools

Reflecting British values in school values

Oasis Academy Shirley Park, a primary school in Croydon, identifies how the 5 British values reflect the school's own values. For example, tolerance for others' religious beliefs reflect the school's values of:

... 'mutual respect' is promoted in English through the use of talk partners and paired reading...

In a document on British values across the curriculum, the school explains how British values are promoted through its core and foundation subjects. The British value of 'mutual respect' is promoted in English through the use of talk partners and paired reading and in maths through pupils working in pairs or groups.

British values across the curriculum, Oasis Academy Shirley Park (Adobe pdf file) http://www.oasisacademyshirleypark.org/sites/default/files/files/British Values new.pdf

British values-related objectives

Gledhow Primary School in Leeds outlines how it promotes British values across the curriculum. It has identified 12 objectives related to British values, linked to curriculum units and learning outcomes:

Objective

Year and subject

Unit

Learning outcome

To be aware of significant personalities, events and turning points in British history

Y3 History

Elizabeth and the Spanish Armada

We can explain why the Spanish Armada was defeated

To be conversant with examples of British creativity and/or culture

Y5 Science

Forces

We can describe how Isaac Newton developed the theory of gravitation

Promoting British values across the curriculum, Gledhow Primary School http://gledhow.leeds.sch.uk/leeds/primary/gledhow/site/pages/curriculum/promotingbritishvaluesacrossthecurriculum

Super learning days

The promoting British values policy of St Clement's High School in Norfolk explains British values are promoting during the school's "super learning days". For example, cultural diversity is celebrated on one of these days enabling the school to promote the British value of tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.

Promoting British values, St Clement's High School (Adobe pdf file) http://www.stclementshigh.org.uk/attachments/download.asp?file=237&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;type=pdf

Promoting British values outside of lessons

Upton Junior School in Kent has outlined how it reinforces British values throughout the school. It says:

Visits from authorities, such as the police, fire services or lifeguards, reinforce the importance of the rule of law

Democracy is promoted through a pupil council, pupil questionnaires and a rewards system based on pupil votes

Visits from authorities such as the police, fire services or lifeguards reinforce the importance of the rule of law

The school ethos and behaviour policy revolve around 'respect' as a core value, and discussions and assemblies focus on what respect means and how it is shown

A 'language of the term' subject promotes languages spoken by students for whom English is an additional language. Members of different faiths or religions are also encouraged to share their knowledge and experiences

Promoting British values at Upton, Upton Junior School http://www.uptonjunior.com/page/?pid=183

For more examples of British values statements from schools, see the following article from The Key:

British values statements on school websites

Another of our articles highlights schools that include information on 'British values' in their policies British values in their policies.

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Promoting British values in the curriculum

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How can we promote British values through our curriculum? Two of our associate education experts explain how schools can incorporate British values into the curriculum, and the limitations to doing so. We also include a downloadable template to record how your school promotes British values.

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https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/blog/best-reviewed-british-values-resources

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Ofsted now pays a lot of attention to SMSC when deciding whether your school is 'outstanding', 'inadequate' or somewhere in between.

What does 'British values' mean?

According to Ofsted, 'fundamental British values' comprise:

democracy

the rule of law

individual liberty

mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, and for those without faith

School Inspection Handbook from September 2015
How must schools teach it?

Advice from the Department for Education is that British values should be promoted through SMSC.

For maintained schools, this is set out in Promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC.

For independent schools, free schools and academies, it is set out in Improving the SMSC development of pupils in independent schools.

Oddly, the DfE makes no mention of the statutory citizenship curriculum; it's as though ministers have completely forgotten they have a subject purpose-built for making sense of such things already.

What must be taught?

The advice here is basically the same for maintained schools ('state' schools) and independent schools (private schools, academies and free schools):

enable students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence

enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of Britain

encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely

enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in Britain

further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation for and respect for their own and other cultures

encourage respect for other people

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 Britain

The only difference for independent schools is in the penultimate paragraph, which includes them in requirements regarding the Equality Act's protected characteristics:

encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.

How will it be assessed?

In its revised Framework for school inspection, Ofsted is clear that schools will struggle to get a decent rating if they fail to deliver good SMSC, which now includes 'British values'.

Ofsted added 'British values' explicitly to the Social strand of SMSC in paragraph 133 of its new School inspection handbook 2014:

'The social development of pupils is shown by their:

acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; 'the pupils develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.'

But school leaders must also demonstrate that they are addressing British values through the curriculum (despite the DfE forgetting to mention the curriculum in its own advice):

'Inspectors should consider how well leadership and management ensure that the curriculum:

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.'

(School Inspection Handbook 2014, paragraph 152)

Citizenship has it covered

While teaching 'British values' may seem a tall order, never fear: schools have the tools to cover much of it already.

School leaders often overlook the citizenship curriculum because the Government has done the same, but it's still there for schools (there's even a GCSEin it) and it was purpose-built for exactly this sort of exploration and learning.

Citizenship underpins much of SMSC. For example, exploring human rights and our political and legal systems through the taught citizenship curriculum goes a long way to learning 'the difference between right and wrong' and 'the consequences of behaviour'.

The big caveat

The language we hear from government is of 'promoting fundamental British values' and of young people 'accepting', 'respecting' and 'tolerating' - as though we all agree already on what those values are, accept that they are unique to Britain and believe we should follow them unquestionably.

At Young Citizens, we think education is about helping people understand how things workand how to challenge and change them for the better.

Values won't be assumed because schools demand they are, particularly if they're very different from those at home: they have to be arrived at through mutual exploration, critical analysis and understanding.

This is what citizenship education aims to achieve.

Latest

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These are voluntary roles, ideally suited to former teachers with experience of teaching citizenship or related subjects. The roles entail helping Young Citizens to research, write, and check lesson plans, assembly kits and other resources for both primary and secondary schools. Read more

Our CEO tells of his own recent experience of using the law to protect his rights, and explains why basic legal understanding is vitally important for all young people, if they're to be confident young citizens. Read more

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Ofsted now pays a lot of attention to SMSC when deciding whether your school is 'outstanding', 'inadequate' or somewhere in between. According to Ofsted, 'fundamental British values' comprise: democracy the rule of law individual liberty mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, and for those without faith School Inspection Handbook from September 2015 Advice from the Department for Education is that British values should be promoted through SMSC.

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Believe it or not, this new EYFS requirement is nowhere near as exasperating as you might think - and it's certainly nothing entirely new either. Fundamental British values have already been implicitly embedded in the Early Years Foundation Stage since 2014. But that's the problem - they've been in there, they just haven't been clearly or directly expressed. This is why so many of us need further clarity and guidance on what British values means to us in the early years. Hopefully I can give some reassurance and alleviate the confusion.

Let me break it down for you...

The fundamental British values are:

Democracy

Rule of law

Individual liberty

Mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths.

Now don't panic, nobody expects us to have graduated with a law degree, a politics degree, a history degree or even a theology degree. And we already have the knowledge and resources we need to be able to successfully demonstrate to Ofsted that we've got these Fundamental British Values covered. That said, you will probably find PACEY's new publication Common Inspection Framework, British Values and You and further resources at the bottom of this page useful.

Democracy

So, let's start with democracy. Think of democracy as a situation where everyone is treated equally and has equal rights.

This is probably a very fair description of your own setting. Well, within your setting I'm guessing you support children's personal, social and emotional development (PSED) by giving them opportunities to develop their self-confidence and self-awareness, to make choices and decisions about what they want to explore and how they're going to use the resources you've made accessible to them.

Like here for instance: Hollie has filled up a bucket with water and fetched a paintbrush which she's been painting the fence with. Does she mind Sean dipping in with a brush of his own? No, she lets him dip away and instructs him, in fact, to paint the decking for her. They are taking turns, sharing, collaborating and making decisions together. Skills that are essential if we are to get on in the adult world. I'm sure you can think of lots of other examples.

Okay, now we have just one cardboard box and two explorers who want it for their rocket. Who goes first? What will we each do while we're in the box and out of the box?

Now we're negotiating: setting rules for how long we can each spend in the box before we have to let somebody else have a turn. Negotiating who will pass over the construction pieces and what's to be done with them exactly? Now we're trusting that our friend, our collaborator, will be fair and will stick to our plan.

Rule of law

This is about understanding that rules matter and you've seen this too in PSED - sorry, nothing new to report here either.

This is about learning to manage our own feelings and behaviour: about learning right from wrong: about behaving within agreed and clearly defined boundaries: about dealing with the consequences.

You've probably got 'house rules' a bit like this right? (we like to keep ours simple, less for young children to remember). It really doesn't get any harder than this guys.

Individual liberty

The remaining two values are both embedded within PSED and Understanding the World. For individual liberty we focus on children's self-confidence and self-awareness and people and communities.

We help children to develop a positive sense of themselves. Every time we provide opportunities for children to gather wild flowers, mix their own colours for leaf painting or take part in a sack race we are helping them to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and increase their confidence in their own abilities.

Every time we share a favourite book with a child, splash in rock pools or build a compound for our dinosaurs together we are giving children the time and space to explore the language of feelings and responsibility; reflect on their differences and understand that we are all free to have different opinions.

Mutual respect and tolerance

Finally, mutual respect and tolerance: where we learn to treat others as we want to be treated. How to be part of a community, manage our feelings and behaviour; and form relationships with others.

Naturally we should have an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance in our settings, where views, faiths, cultures and races are valued and where we encourage children to engage with their wider community.

It is our job to help children to appreciate and respect their own culture and the culture of others.

We can help them explore similarities and differences between themselves and others; among families, faiths, communities, cultures and traditions; and to share and discuss practices, celebrations and experiences.

Wherever possible, it's good to share special moments with our children's families whether that involves welcoming them into our own settings or accepting invitations to their own celebrations.

Every time we see children becoming close friends and we encourage their parents to arrange play dates beyond the setting, we are giving parents and children opportunities to learn the importance of tolerant behaviours such as sharing and respecting other's opinions.

After all, if children see and hear the adults they love respecting other cultures, religions and values then this will have a significant, positive impact upon their own behaviour and overall development. But being good role models isn't quite enough. Remember the old Confucian proverb: "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."

This means that for children to truly learn the importance of tolerance, they need to be given lots of opportunities to practice tolerance and to challenge stereotypes. For example, through sharing stories that reflect and value the diversity of children's experiences and providing resources and activities that challenge gender, cultural and racial stereotyping.

I'm not talking about putting out the odd multicultural jigsaw or doll here - I'm talking about having an accessible and continuous provision of a diverse range of musical instruments - everything from djembes to kotos to manjeeras.

Or junk modelling materials to make anything from Native American dreamcatchers to Anansi spiders to Gwiazdy stars. Or lengths of fabric that can be saris just as easily as they can be superhero capes or Roman togas. If what we bring to the setting is diverse, then so will the children's experiences of the world and the people around them.

Will we get away with sticking up a few posters and dotting a few multicultural books about?

No we won't I'm afraid, but then again that's never been enough to show that we actively promote respect for and tolerance of other faiths, cultures and races; challenge gender stereotypes; involve children in their wider community; challenge behaviours (whether of staff, children or parents) when they are not in line with our Fundamental British Values. It's more about what we do and what we say every single day - and that's completely free.

So what's the bottom line?

Well, it's all good news really. Providing you recognise how British Values links to the EYFS and can confidently demonstrate this, there's no need for extra planning. No need for extra paperwork. No need for extra toys or equipment; and most importantly no need for worrying. What's not to love?

Resources
EYFS and British Values digital download Common Inspection Framework, British Values and You
Webinar: Judgements to British Values, an essential guide to the Common Inspection Framework Available to members and non-members

British Values and the Prevent Duty guide Available to members and non-members

Preparing for your Ofsted inspection practice guide for childminders - now updated to cover CIF changes

Preparing for your Ofsted visit factsheet - now updated to cover CIF changes

Safeguarding factsheet - now updated to cover CIF changes

About the author

Andrea is a Registered Childminder who leads a small outstanding team of skilled and experienced practitioners. Andrea has been a member of PACEY since 2004 and, through her commitment to CPD, has achieved Fellow-Ambassador membership status. She has been a PACEY Associate for over 2 years and has her own early years training and consultancy business. She enjoys working with children, parents and carers and the wider children's workforce. Her enthusiasm for raising the quality of childcare and education is matched only by her passion for improving outcomes for children, especially the most deprived and vulnerable.

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Fundamental British Values in the Early Years

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Believe it or not, this new EYFS requirement is nowhere near as exasperating as you might think - and it's certainly nothing entirely new either. Fundamental British values have already been implicitly embedded in the Early Years Foundation Stage since 2014. But that's the problem - they've been in there, they just haven't been clearly or directly expressed.