At Carshalton High School for Girls we recognise the importance of allowing students to flourish academically and embrace our role in preparing them for their adult life. Part of our role in that preparation is our promotion of British Values within our core school values.

We actively promote the five core British Values through our curriculum, particularly our Citizenship curriculum, and the holistic development of our students through active engagement with the community, student voice, current affairs and student and teacher run activities. The following examples are an indication of some of the ways we embed British Values.

Democracy

Students are also given the chance to take part in the annual Sutton Youth Parliament elections and recently voted in the UK Youth Parliament 'Make Your Mark' vote.  We run mock General Elections. Students are also able to take part in the Magistrates Mock Trial, and a number of other local debating competitions such as the Jack Patchey Speak Out Challenge.  Democracy is actively promoted in our teaching of Citizenship, History, Government and Politics and Sociology.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school or the country are consistently reinforced throughout the school day through our behaviour policy, assemblies and the subject curriculum, particularly in Citizenship and PSHE where students are taught about our laws, where they came from and our criminal justice system.  We foster strong community links with local authorities such as the Police, Fire Service and local magistrates.  Respect for rules and laws creates harmony within our school and ensures all students are fully informed, feel safe and are protected both in school and in their wider life.

Individual Liberty

We prepare students to enter the world as independent, confident citizens that have a life-long passion for learning and making informed choices throughout their lives. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and receive advice and support about how to exercise these safely, for example, through our teaching of E-safety in ICT lessons, Sociology lessons and during Personal Development sessions in tutor time as well as through assemblies.  We set high expectations and promote strong aspirations from all students encouraging them to strive for nothing short of optimum success.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of Different Faiths, Beliefs and those Without Faith

Our students foster excellent relationships based on respect and trust.  Through our curriculum and pastoral support systems everyone in our school community is able to learn and thrive in an environment of high standards, courtesy and consideration. Peer Mentoring programmes, Year 10 and Year 7 paired reading partnerships and House System facilitates the promotion of mutual respect and support between students across different year groups where they work together to achieve goals..

Mutual respect and tolerance of diversity is embraced throughout our subject curriculum through, for example, lively debate from different perspectives in Sociology where students are safe to disagree with each other in a safe and supportive environment, a broad and balanced study of different religions in Religious Studies, investigations of our cultural diversity in Citizenship and learning about the development of a multi faith, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society in History and Geography lessons.  We run a number of trips abroad throughout the academic year from which students gain valuable experience of other cultures and languages. 

We pride ourselves in successfully unlocking the potential of all members of our school and enriching them with opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development that incorporate fundamental British Values.