British Values

We have had the privilege of developing the minds of future generations of Lowestoft for over one hundred years. It is our ambition to ensure that our students flourish as individuals but also understand their place on a local, national and global scale. 

As part of this, we provide opportunities for students to learn and demonstrate the values expressed by their country. All students can contribute to school leadership through the student council, either sharing their views and concerns, becoming a form representative, leading an action group and being a student ambassador. Senior students can contribute to student leadership by applying to become a prefect or school leader exemplifying the school values of Aspiration, Aspiration and Respect. 

In Year 7 and 8, through Religious Studies and PSHE lessons, students are encouraged to reflect on who they are, how British values affects them and their role in being a member of a school and local community.  In Year 9, through our PSHE programme, we help students to explore their obligations to their country in the form of politics, economics and charity. This course has been designed to respond to the issues that our students have asked for help with. 

In KS3, through our humanities curriculum, students also develop an understanding of the story of Britain and of the world around them. This is reinforced in the English studies and the ODA Read-Aloud curriculum where students engage in wide range of texts that enable discussion of our British values and protected characteristics. 

In all years, students are given opportunities to reflect on the key British values, as they are experienced within our academy. Whether this is through our bespoke assembly programme or form time programme, student training days, enrichment offer and activities days, trips and key speakers, reinforcing the high-quality curriculum which has been tailored to the needs of our students. Equally, as local, national and international issue arise in an ever changing and complex world, we adapt our curriculum provision to support the young students in our care.  For example, ‘Votes for Schools’ introduces students to current topics and allows them to experience a democratic process and share their opinions weekly. Students can see how their votes compare to the local and national picture as well as seeing a response from prominent figures within the field in question. 

British Values Statement Download

Throughout all elements of an Ormiston Denes education, we aim to help students to: 

  • Develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. 
  • Distinguish right from wrong and to respect English law. 
  • Accept responsibility for their behaviour. 
  • Show initiative and contribute positively to society. 
  • Acquire a broad general knowledge of, and respect for, English public institutions and services. 
  • Appreciate and respect their own and other cultures. 

Our students therefore have: 

  • an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process. 
  • an appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety. 
  • an understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law. 
  • an acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour. 
  • an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.