Values

Our values statement expresses our ambition to be inclusive and responsive to our stakeholder groups and we encourage all to have a voice in our community.

Skill and knowledge development

• Our KS4 English syllabus promotes issues which students feel strongly about and they learn how to express themselves through democratic channels e.g. formal letters to those in authority, speeches and debates. Through literature the students learn about the context of people’s lives and how their decisions have shaped society.
• Our Humanities curriculum actively teaches about rights and responsibilities in historical context to demonstrate the growth of democracy and human rights in 21st Century Britain. The foundations and outworking of both democratic and authoritarian rule, political history and reformation form key elements within the History curriculum at each Key Stage.
• British Values form a key unit in our Year 9 Citizenship curriculum. Across Key Stage 3 Citizenship students learn about the process of voting and elections, the role of political parties, political parties in the UK, democracy versus dictatorship, benefits of being a UK citizen, the British Monarchy, acceptance of others beliefs and faiths and combating discrimination.
• We encourage the creative skills of students through our Arts curriculum and promote confidence and learner voice by teaching skills of expression.
• We have a full assembly programme which promotes the value of being a democracy and reflects on the meaning of not having the freedom to vote or be heard.
• We promote and encourage participation in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. In particular, we participate in the annual Woodspring debates; training and supporting students in their persuasive speaking skills.

Active involvement

• All students are encouraged to debate topics of interest, express their views and make a meaningful contribution to the running of the school on matters that directly involve them. Students also have the opportunity to have their voices heard through questionnaires and surveys.
• We consult with students on matters of policy. All students have been involved in the formation of our Behaviour Policy including our values and systems this year. Student Council have been consulted on our School Mobile Devices Policy. Our Anti-Bullying Policy was written and promoted by students.
• We undertake regular work scrutiny in each year group with a cross section of students and ask them to talk about their learning experiences and help us evaluate our provision.
• Democracy means believing that you can make a difference and then engaging. We have a strong volunteering and fund raising culture that is often driven by student voice. We have raised money for a number of charities that support citizens in other countries as well as our own.

Forums

• We have a School Council which is democratically elected and informs decision making of the Strategic Leadership Team and attends Governor meetings. For example students in Year 10 attended Governor meetings this academic year to raise awareness of their work on the Holocaust memorial.
• The Head Boy and Head Girl are elected after a series of presentations, interviews and student vote.
• We have annual parent and student questionnaires to seek opinion and feedback for improvement.
• We have parent focus groups to seek opinions of parents on specific issues in our community.

Links to wider Society

• One of our students was supported by the school and its wider community to be elected as a member of the Youth Parliament for Bristol and Youth Councillor for South Bristol.
• This year we will simulate a general election in May to help students understand the importance of voting.
• We hold Question Time forums that invite Local Councillors into the school to come and field questions from our student body. In the run up to the 2015 election we had political figures from across the main political parties represented.

Values

Safety, good behaviour, individual liberty and responsibility are expressed in our values statement and can be seen through our management and leadership of St Katherine’s.

Skill and knowledge development

• We strictly enforce our Attendance Policy and have a Uniform Policy that teaches young people about basic rules in society and the workplace.
• We have a clear Behaviour Policy with choices and consequences that is well communicated and used to reinforce individual responsibility, choice and consequence.
• School rules and expectations are clear, fair and regularly promoted.
• Students are always helped to reflect on what is right and wrong, in the classroom, during assemblies and during break time.
• The Behaviour and Anti-Bullying policies set out a zero tolerance for any form of aggression, abuse or violence, which extends to pupils, staff and parents and carers.
• We have trained a number of peer mediators to resolve friendship and bullying issues.
• Competitive sports are important to St Katherine’s School curriculum and we facilitate good understanding of rules of play by explaining concepts of fair play, participation and refereeing.
• Every Year 8 student undertakes a day to understand the role of the police and justice system in our ‘Play Your Part day’ which invites local solicitors, police and prison representatives into school to work with our students.
• Police services are involved in a number of initiatives that have happened at the school, including education about the law and abusive relationships.
• We have a strong safeguarding culture where the law in relation to children’s rights are promoted through assembly and information we provide to students.
• In Citizenship at Key Stage 3 students participate in a range of activities covering a broad range of topics, some examples of which include law and justice, the role of the police, legal systems in the UK, law and society, human rights, crime and the individual, crime and the law, gun and knife crime, drug crime and the law and sexual crimes including abuse and the age of consent.

Active involvement

• Consultation on policy with students. All students have been involved in the formation of our Behaviour Policy including our values and systems.

Links to wider Society

• We have active partnerships with the local police force who work in partnership with us on individual matters that concern our community and students. For example the police work with us to coordinate and deliver our Year 8 ‘Play Your Part Day’.

Values

Individual liberty and responsibility are expressed in our values statement. We carefully monitor the equalities data of our school and seek to redress or positively promote the voice and outcomes of those who may be treated unequally without intention.

Skill and knowledge development

• Within school, pupils are actively encouraged, and given the freedom to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. For example we do not insist on particular combinations of subjects and allow choice in subject decisions taken by students at Key Stage 4.
• Our English curriculum seeks responses from learners in studying text and materials of those who have experienced a lack of individual liberty e.g. through political allegory like Animal Farm to prejudice resulting in marginalisation. Students also study either the dystopian Never Let Me Go or Of Mice and Men to raise deep questions about society.
• Our English curriculum aims to develop learners’ voice through effective expression and imagination e.g. through speech, creative writing and the ability to express using appropriate language in all of the transactional genres.
• Our Humanities and Citizenship curriculums study the growth of human rights and responsibilities in a number of historical and cultural contexts including current issues such as radicalisation and homophobia.
• Our Arts curriculum promotes the skills of self-confidence, self-esteem and creativity amongst our learners in a number of arts subjects and media.
• Vulnerable pupils are protected and stereotypes challenged. An anti-bullying culture is embedded in the school and any form of bullying is challenged and addressed.
• In Citizenship/PSHE students study rights and responsibilities which include learning in a wide range of topics on human rights crime and the individual and where to go to find help.
• Online encounters, staying safe online, cyber bullying and reporting cyber abuse form integral components of our Key Stage 3 ICT curriculum.

Active involvement

• Freedom of speech through the School Council.
• A culture of open and mutually respectful relationships.

Links to wider Society

• We offer a ‘No Worries’ and counselling service which is a confidential service available to students who may not wish to speak with their parents or teachers about issues which concern them.

Values

Mutual respect is at the core of our values statement, our relationships with students, and how we resolve differences. Students build excellent relationships with their teachers and our wider staff team. We have a comprehensive ethos which results in a balanced approach to grouping students in curriculum areas. This ensures students learn how to build mutual respect between each other.

Skill and knowledge development

• Our staff model effective attitudes and behaviours to students which promote and secure mutual respect between different stakeholders.
• We use positive language and highlight the positive differences which exist.
• Our Assembly Programme is rich in examples of promoting mutual respect including teaching about Holocaust survivors, Black History Month, slavery, child sexual exploitation, prejudiced-based bullying and inequality.
• Charity weeks organised by year groups throughout the year allow students to choose a charity and raise funds for them.
• Students are helped to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures and ways of life throughout the RE curriculum at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.
• Our Arts curriculum teaches cooperative attitudes to learning and the exploration of difference through drama.
• Our PE and Sports Curriculums ensure the principles of fair play and competitive games which teaches about winning with respect and losing with dignity.
• In PSHE/Citizenship human rights and responsibilities units ensure students participate in a range of activities covering a broad range of topics, some examples of which include respecting equality and diversity, working together to improve communities and collaborative charity projects.

Active involvement

• We create active learning environments where students learn to work cooperatively. This includes ways of working when engaging with difficult topics in PSHE, peer to peer learning which is used in maths, think, pair share activities and discussion forums as part of our everyday teaching.
  Staff and pupils are encouraged and taught to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.
• We use restorative justice in a wide range of situations between students and staff in learning about difference and how to resolve conflict.
• Our new SEN reviews are student led and facilitate higher levels of involvement from learners to ensure their views as learners are more fully respected.

Links to wider Society

• We work tirelessly with parents and carers to foster an environment of mutual respect. We actively support families who may have difficulty engaging with school through our Parent Support Advisors.

Values

Our values statement is clear about prioritising tolerance and respect for people of all different backgrounds, beliefs and faith. We believe that we can only excel when we have a careful eye to ensuring equal opportunities, ensuring no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. We go further than the formal equalities legislation in making provision to support those who face barriers due to their financial circumstances.

Skill and knowledge development

• Our English curriculum focuses on a wide range of world literature that challenges stereotypes and promotes empathy and understanding about the lives of others. For example To Kill A Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men as well as other literature from our own heritage.
• The major world religions are studied as part of our RE curriculum.
• Tolerance is examined through several assembly themes and through the Humanities curriculum. We promote sensitive but forthright discussion of issues in the UK that cover topics such as immigration, radicalisation and gay rights.

Active involvement

• There are a wide range of cultural visits and enrichment activities that students can participate in throughout the year. This includes an annual visit to Auschwitz, as well as annual overseas experiences to Holland, France, Spain and Greece. We completed the EU Comenius project in 2014 to promote better understanding of cultural differences with 3 other partner countries.
• We have a strong link with the Za Foundation who visit bi-annually and promote understanding of African communities and issues which affect them.
• We have a zero tolerance policy of prejudice based bullying.

Links to wider Society

• We have an active Christian Union which meets regularly in school.
• We have enjoyed support from the Black Police Officers Association and North Somerset BME service in supporting and mentoring students.
• We have engaged the services of SARI on occasion to assist with prejudiced based bullying in the wider community.
• The designated safeguarding lead has attended training with the Local Authority’s Prevent Strategy and will take positive action where we have concern.