"The body of the Lord makes us a single thing, a single family, the people of God reunited around Jesus, the bread of life."

Pope Francis

At the Convent of Jesus and Mary Catholic Infant School & Nursery Catholic doctrine and practice filters through every aspect of our school life; promoting British Values is central to Catholic Education and reflected on Catholic Social Teachings, as such we teach our pupils British Values through the parable of Jesus as well as the wider curriculum, with the purpose of enabling them to become responsible and active citizens in service to the world who make strong contributions to the common good of society.

At our School we uphold the British Values by:

DEMOCRACY:

• Democracy is well represented in the school through the different Pupil Voice     groups, some of which are selected through a democratic election. Pupils are taught about fairness, restorative justice, equality through the use of Pupil Voice, expressing their points of view with discussion, considered arguments and debate during lessons, Circle Time and assemblies and also by supporting the School Council, the Prayer Leaders, the Mini-Vinnies and the Eco Warriors.

RULE OF LAW:

Truth – ‘Happy are those who hunger and thirst for what is right: They shall be satisfied.’ Matthew 5:6

• The importance of Laws, and following rules are reinforced daily through our School Rules, our Learning Behaviours, our Mission Statement, the PSHE curriculum - SCARF, and our RE curriculum. Our pupils understand the importance of rules, why they need to be reinforced and the consequences of breaking those rules. We have regular visits from the Community Police Officer, including a police dog, se celebrate the Wednesday Word, we enjoy Circle Time, debate, and discussion, including moral issues and dilemmas, right and wrong, forgiveness and reconciliation, we also encourage the use of Friendship Stops and Playground Buddies.

INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY:

Humility – ‘Happy the gentle: They shall have the earth for their heritage.’ Matthew 5:5

Forgiveness – ‘Happy the merciful: They shall have mercy shown to them.’ Matthew 5:7

• At our school pupils understand their rights and responsibilities, the importance of making good sensible choices, and are always encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, celebrate their talents and successes through the curriculum and beyond. Our pupils are encouraged to exercise their rights and personal freedoms, (Pupil Voice, and the right to play). They are also supported to understand their responsibilities and are taught to keep themselves and others safe through our School Rules, our Learning Behaviours, our Mission Statement, the PSHE curriculum - SCARF, the Computing curriculum. Central to their behaviour and attitudes is our emphasis on positive relationships, and the Gospel Values of forgiveness and reconciliation, this is evident in the relaxed, calm, polite and courteous interactions with peers as well as staff.

RESPECT AND TOLERANCE:

Tolerance - ‘Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.’ Matthew 5:9

• At the Convent Jesus and Mary Catholic Infant School & Nursery we take pride in our school environment and see ourselves as stewards of the earth by looking after our garden and undertaking different sustainability projects in response to Pope Francis encyclical on the environment – ‘Laudato Si’, and how we should all care for our common home. Through our Behaviour Policy, the Golden Rules, our Mission Statement, and our Learning Behaviours our pupils are taught to be respectful and accepting of others. Through our broad and balanced curriculum, our pupils are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills and the ability to challenge prejudicial and discriminatory behaviour and have a good understanding of fairness and equality. With our RE curriculum, we also learn about other cultures and faiths and visit different places of worship such as a Synagogue. We celebrate, Birdwatch Week, the Great Bug Hunt and the Zoo Lab.