‘Love one another as I have loved you’

John 13.34

‘In every school, inner-city, suburban or rural, there is prejudice and the potential for violence. Therefore it is every school’s business to tackle these’

‘Respect for all’ Griffith and Lankshear 1996

INTRODUCTION

Children learn about their school and the community it serves through their whole experience and their relationships with every person in school. Our relationships with each other must demonstrate a valuing of individuals for who they are, rather than because of particular characteristics they may have. Children need to learn to behave towards each other in ways that reflect our Christian ethos. Because we live and work in a situation remote from multicultural communities, it is even more important that our school curriculum reflects the range of cultures and beliefs that exist in this country. In addition, it is vital children recognise the wide range of interests and attitudes prevalent in their own local community, and are taught to question preconceived ideas.

AIMS

To teach children by example to respect themselves and each other

To help children build a positive self-image, and to recognise what is positive in each other

To foster the development of good relationships with other people, whatever their gender, background, colour, appearance, ability or race

To treat each other on an equitable basis, acknowledging the fact that each person has unique qualities and needs

POLICY

Through our teaching we will seek to promote active and interactive learning, encouraging qualities of curiosity and questioning, listening and reflection. Staff will ensure that pupils receive an equitable amount of contact time throughout the week, relevant to the needs of the individual in the context of the group or class in which the child is learning. Different teaching methods will be employed, and staff will seek to discover and cater for preferred learning styles favoured by individuals. Target setting for individual pupils and for groups will form the basis of planning , teaching and learning, alongside the National Curriculum, Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, Learning Support Strategies, Diocesan RE syllabus and guidelines. No child will be denied access to activities on the grounds of gender, background, colour, appearance or race.

In rural north Northumberland, there is little chance for children to meet with or relate to people from other cultures. Beginning with the wide range of attitudes and values represented by our children and their families, we will encourage mutual respect and understanding, ensuring that children are taught to value each other’s strengths and gifts, irrespective of family background.

We will endeavour to plan a curriculum that provides children with many opportunities to learn about cultures and beliefs other than their own, especially those that exist in this country. Multicultural issues will be addressed in many areas of the curriculum, including RE, geography, history, visual arts, music, drama, dance and literacy. Children will be provided with a wide range of opportunities to learn which reflect the nature of our local community, the wider local area, and the wider world. They will be encouraged to find out more about, and to support, different regional communities, particularly those where families and children experience deprivation (for example, by offering gifts to support the work of the Byker Bridge community).

Through provision of multicultural resources (such as stories, visual aids, toys, visual and performing arts resources) we will seek to teach children that racist attitudes are inappropriate and unacceptable. Where possible, we will attempt to build links with children of other cultures through using the Internet, or by developing links with inner city schools within the Diocese. Children will be encouraged to support a range of charities, and will be encouraged to use their initiative to raise awareness of, and funds for, communities in need.

We recognise that adults are important role models, and that outside the school environment, children may be exposed to negative and hostile comments about other cultures. By including this policy in an information pack to parents, we will seek to confront racist attitudes and to ensure that parents are aware that racist attitudes, language and behaviour are unacceptable.

Policy written: 2001

Date of review: 2006