Cultural diversity Statement

What do we mean by ‘Cultural Diversity’ and how does this impact on learning?

We believe Cultural diversity to be the existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society. We believe that all countries in the world have their own cultural heritage and identity, these can mean factors like their religious beliefs and language. In the modern world with the increase in air travel and also immigration due to population movement most countries now have small ethnic minority groups living within them. These groups will have their own culture and traditions, and it is this difference that can be said to provide cultural diversity to a country. Nations where there is much cultural diversity can also sometimes be known as a multicultural society, this is the opposite of cultural uniformity. Diversity can take many different forms, for instance certain citizens may have their own dress style, food, language, traditions as well as different standards of morality.
The UK can be described as a truly diverse and multicultural country because of the immigration that has taken place there over the last fifty plus years. In these circumstances it has been the responsibility of successive UK governments to promote policies that encourage social cohesion and combat discrimination and inequality for all its citizens.
As you can see it is very important for race relations that all communities work together and have a sense of belonging and citizenship for the good of the country.

We believe this to be true of all school community, but especially more so in a predominantly white british community such as Bolsover. It is important that our children grow up with a sense of their national and global community to ensure they are well prepared to live in such a culturally diverse world. It is also increasingly important that children are taught a strong sense of belonging to both their own culture but also to the culture of Britain, Britain as a diverse and multicultural country.

British Values at Bolsover Infant and Nursery

The DfE have recently reinforced the 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.” The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values have been reiterated in more recent years (2014) as being key to all children in Britain really understanding what it means to be prepared for life in a modern Britain. At Bolsover these values are reinforced regularly and right across the curriculum. We believe it is vital that we ensure children learn to understand diversity, live with respect and tolerance and sure they are educated about the diversity that is evident across the country.

British Values

There are 4 fundamental British Values. These are:

1. Democracy
2. Rule of law
3. Individual liberty and freedom
4. Mutual respect and Tolerance

Preparing for life in Modern Britain…

Our PSHE, RE and wider curriculum fully encompasses the fundamental British values that allow our children to participate and contribute positively to life in modern Britain. Through a wide range of activities the staff and governors ensure children are able to develop and demonstrate the skills, knowledge and attributes needed to do this. This involves covering aspects of Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and Tolerance of those of different faiths and Beliefs. As our children are very young, we obviously cover all of these aspects in a age appropriate manner. Using a range of activities, such as:

• Circle time
• Planned lessons
• Assemblies
• Termly topic work
• Wide range of visits and visitors (e.g.Mast Assemblies)
• Visits by the police, fire service and other local service personnel
• Visits to the local places of worship including the local church, the Church in the local town and other places of worship e.g. a Mosque)
• School and Class rules
• Appropriate learning role model inc’ Learning hero’s
• Work around the 4 Thinking habits
• Developing a collective responsibility wherever possible
• Cultural diversity policy
• International Award work
• Curriculum week
• E-safety
• Sports Crew
• School Council – Miss Cowan’s ‘A Team’
• Cultural celebrations

Throughout our curriculum we ensure that children meet these core values. This includes:

Democracy: making decisions together

As part of the focus on self-confidence and self-awareness (as cited in Personal, Social and Emotional Development within our curriculum):

• Managers and staff encourage children to see their role in the bigger picture, encouraging children to know their views count, value each other’s views and values and talk about their feelings, for example when they do or do not need help. When appropriate we also demonstrate democracy in action, voting on a range of topics and share views.
• Staff support the decisions that children make and provide activities that involve turn-taking, sharing and collaboration. Children are given opportunities to develop enquiring minds in an atmosphere where questions are valued.

Rule of law: understanding rules matter (as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development)

As part of the focus on managing feelings and behaviour:

• Staff ensure that children understand their own and others’ behaviour and its consequences, and learn to distinguish right from wrong.
• Staff collaborate with children to create the rules and the codes of behaviour, for example, to agree the rules about tidying up and ensure that all children understand rules apply to everyone.

Individual liberty: freedom for all

As part of the focus on self-confidence & self-awareness and people & communities (as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development, Understanding the World and Topic):

• Children are supported in developing a positive sense of themselves. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and increase their confidence in their own abilities, for example through allowing children to take risks on an obstacle course, mixing colours, talking about their experiences and learning.
• Staff encourage a range of experiences that allow children to explore the language of feelings and responsibility, reflect on their differences and understand we are free to have different opinions, for example in a small group discuss what they feel about transferring into Reception Class.

Mutual respect and tolerance: treat others as you want to be treated

As part of the focus on people & communities, managing feelings & behaviour and making relationships (as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development and Understanding the World, as well as specifically RE , but also Topic):

• Managers and leaders create an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance where views, faiths, cultures and races are valued and children are engaged with the wider community.
• Children acquire a tolerance and appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; know about similarities and differences between themselves and others and among families, faiths, communities, cultures and traditions and share and discuss practices, celebrations and experiences.
• Staff encourage and explain the importance of tolerant behaviours such as sharing and respecting other’s opinions.
• Staffs should promote diverse attitudes and challenge stereotypes, for example, sharing stories that reflect and value the diversity of children’s experiences and providing resources and activities that challenge gender, cultural and racial stereotyping.

What do these values mean to us and what do they look like for children? 

Democracy

Each year the children decide upon their class rules. All the children contribute to the drawing up of these rules. Every child has a say about their class rules and all children sign up to say they will uphold these rules. All children in school are also offered an opportunity to have a say in how their school is run, through ‘ The A Team’. They get to share what they like and don’t like about the school and what needs to change. Regular opportunities are offered for children to have an opinion and vote to gain a consensus. These opportunities are also followed through in their lessons, through our teaching and learning policy.

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced at Bolsover. Pupils are taught from an early age the rules of the school. These are our Golden Rules, Playground Rules and Safety Rules. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the Police and Fire Service help reinforce this message.

Individual Liberty

At Bolsover, 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 young pupils to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our eSafety and PSHE lessons.

Mutual Respect

Mutual respect is at the heart of our values. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs

Here at Bolsover we undertake daily assemblies which uphold traditional values of empathy, respect and tolerance. These are also taught within formal SEAL, PSHE and RE lessons and on an informal nature throughout the school days. At Bolsover we actively promote diversity through our celebrations of different faiths and cultures and our involvement in the work around the International Award. We have a very close link with our Partner school in India and children in Year 2 in particular work closely with them to share differences in our cultures. Members of different faiths and religions are encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school. The children visit places of worship that are important to different faiths.

Involving Governors and Parents

The Governors of our school fully support the work we have undertaken around Cultural diversity and are eager for parents to share in this very important lifelong learning. To this end they have asked that we keep parents fully involved in our day to day work and especially involved when we hold our International events.