Citizenship

Blessed William Howard Catholic High School is a school which seeks to live out the values of Jesus Christ. We promote these values by our words and deeds, with Catholic practice permeating throughout every aspect of the life of the College. This includes education regarding Living in the Wider World.

According to the Department for Education Citizenship should provide pupils with knowledge, skills and understanding to prepare them to play a full and active part in society. In particular, citizenship education should foster pupils’ keen awareness and understanding of democracy, government and how laws are made and upheld. Teaching should equip pupils with the skills and knowledge to explore political and social issues critically, to weigh evidence, debate and make reasoned arguments. It should also prepare pupils to take their place in society as responsible citizens, manage their money well and make sound financial decisions. Full details of how each of the DfE subject content points for Citizenship are taught can be found in the link at the bottom of this page.

The revised Governors’ Handbook explicitly states:

“Every effort should be made to ensure the school’s ethos promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs; and encourage students to respect other people, with particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010. The governing body should ensure that this ethos is reflected and implemented effectively in school policy and practice and that there are effective risk assessments in place to safeguard and promote students’ welfare. The Department for Education has produced advice for maintained schools on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, which includes references to promoting British Values.”

As well as our weekly focus outlined below British Values are also explored in the following ways:

Democracy: This is achieved through our distinctive purpose of serving the Common Good. Student voice, Student Council, Year Council and year group charity work all contribute to serving our school, local and national community.

Rule of Law: Within BWH clear rules are adhered to both in and outside the classroom with an understanding of the need, and respect, for the law. Students actively engage in and participate with the promotion of rights and their associated duties. The Home/School agreement promotes this understanding to beyond the school gates. Our Character Education programme also contributes significantly to the education of the importance of the rule of law. This is underpinned through the consistent application of our rewards and sanctions system with half-termly rewards assemblies.

Individual Liberty: Students at BWH are encouraged to make individual choices knowing that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. Students are encouraged to realise their full potential as cherished children of God who have a purpose and meaning in this world. Through Character Education students are taught about their own rights and responsibilities but also how they can support other children across the world in the pursuit of their rights. Students are encouraged through the mission statement to develop in a Love of Life and how they can contribute in their own way to the world around them.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance: Respect lies at the heart of our mission statement. From our anti-bullying Diana Ambassadors to our Catholic Life and Charity Captains, valuing all in our community underpins who we are as a Catholic community, with fairness and justice being at the core of our curriculum. Prayer assemblies and other acts of worship are planned and delivered by all members of the school community and reflect God’s call to “Love one another as I have loved you”. Our focus on Catholic Social Teaching enables all members of our community to truly live out this value. Through providing our students with the knowledge of the world they are integral to, and the capacity to develop positive relationships with all in our local, national and international community, we enable our students to see that all are made in God’s image. Diversity of culture and religion is encompassed in our RE curriculum through the study of Islam, Judaism and Dharmic religions at Key Stage 3, along with a deeper exploration of Judaism in the GCSE course. These follow the words of Pope Francis to “think and speak respectfully of other religions and their followers, and to avoid ridiculing or denigrating their convictions and practices.” The broader curriculum and charity work that is prevalent throughout the year encourages all to have an empathy with those from all parts of our world.

Please see our British Values Policy here: /docs/BWH_British_Values_Policy_2021.pdf