Christian Ethos and Values
‘Flourishing Together’
Vision
At Belmont C of E Primary, our vision is for everyone in our Belmont family, to flourish and to learn to live well together with dignity and respect. Inspired by the story of Noah’s Ark, our vision is lived out through the three symbols of the rainbow, the ark and the dove.
The rainbow is a reminder of God’s promise of love and protection and that he will always be with us. The rainbow reminds us of our rainbow promise to love and care for everyone in our Belmont family and to live well together with dignity and respect.
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the promise between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13
God sent Noah a rainbow as a sign of his promise of love and protection. We seek to flourish together, in our Belmont family, by providing a place of love, safety (protection) and peace and by living out our rainbow promise. We promise to love and care for everyone in our Belmont family. We promise to be; loving, kind, respectful, honest, peaceful, patient and forgiving.
The symbol of the ark is a reminder of our school being an ark for or Belmont family. We feel safe and protected in our Belmont family and in God’s arms.
The dove is a symbol of peace and it reflects our influence in the local community and how our school is committed to serving and being an integral part of it.
British Values
The Department for Education state there is a need "to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs."
At Belmont CE Primary School we are committed to these values and practise them in the following ways:
Democracy
Pupil voice is strong in school and pupils and adults respect the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. Pupils also have the opportunity to air their opinions and ideas through our School Council and regular questionnaires. Pupils are taught how to listen to each other carefully and respect each other’s point of view. The elections of the School Council members are based solely on pupil votes and parallels are drawn with our British democratic system.
The Rule of Law
The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced. Our school has rules, which are embedded in our work every day. Each class also discusses and sets its own rules that are clearly understood by all and seen to be necessary to ensure that every class member is able to learn in a safe and ordered environment. Our pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws. They understand that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws or rules are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message. Our older pupils are regular participants in Durham Constabulary’s Mini-Police initiative and take part in the ‘policing’ of many local events.
Individual Liberty
Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely; examples of this can be clearly seen in our e-safety and P.S.H.C.E. lessons. Whether it is through choice of challenge, of how they record, or of participation in our numerous extra- curricular activities; our pupils are given the freedom to make choices.
Mutual Respect
Our pupils know and understand the importance of showing respect to everyone, irrespective of any differences we may have. We are committed to developing respect for our own and for other cultures and foster this respect through our daily Collective Worship, PSHCE lessons, RE and our reflection time. We develop intercultural understanding through the vehicle of Primary Languages, our Fair Trade work and our wider curriculum and ensure a range of cross-curricular opportunities to learn about, and thereby develop greater tolerance of, and respect for, other cultures.
Tolerance of Those With Different Faiths And Beliefs
Our core values ensure tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs. We enhance pupils’ understanding of different faiths and beliefs through religious education, P.S.H.E. work and visits to other places of worship to deepen understanding of different celebrations and beliefs. Our curriculum facilitates opportunities for pupils to focus on different countries, exploring cultures and traditions, and these are enriched with visitors being invited in to our school to extend understanding.
