Values Days
Each half term students will experience a different Values Day.
Values Days aim to enrich the academic subject-based curriculum and equip students with knowledge, skills and outlooks which will be of value to them in meeting the opportunities and challenges they may encounter at school and beyond.
The days are planned based upon the background and circumstances of our students and upon local, national and international developments relevant to their lives.
We believe that to inspire students to become the best citizens they can be, we need to develop their awareness and knowledge alongside their citizenship skills. We recognise the importance of ‘character development’ in the education of our students. By this we mean aspects such as communication skills, confidence building, resilience and being kind and helpful. We subscribe to the view that young people with more highly developed emotional and social skills (such as empathy, emotional regulation and moral reasoning) are likely to be more proactive and positively engaged in their school and local communities.
Content of Values Days
Over the course of 7-year programme students will learn how to be to be more respectful to themselves, others and the environment around them. Values Days will give them a greater grasp of rules and laws and help them to understand more about themselves and others. They will confidently engage in discussions and debates about issues that directly affect them and their generation.
There will be four differently themed days in each year group, these are:
- Health, relationships, and sex education
- Living in the wider world.
- Equality and diversity
- Online safety and safeguarding
Values Days are spread across the school year, one per half term and activities are led by academy staff. There is also significant input from external agencies and speakers.
Values
Values Days prepare students for life in the modern world and throughout the programme different days look to reflect and promote important values. We believe that there are beliefs and behaviours that we need to inculcate and develop in our students in order that they may become active and happy citizens and our Values Days help us to do this.
For example:
- value democracy and the fundamental freedom of human expression
- respect for core freedoms (in worship, relationships and political views)
- embrace, celebrate and protect the diversity and all communities.
- always treat others as they would be treated themselves
- always listen and seek to see other points of view
- understand the threats to their natural environment and seek to challenge them
