The Department for Education has introduced a statutory duty for schools to promote British Values more actively from September 2014, and to ensure they are taught in schools. 
 
St Regis CE Academy is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multi-cultural, multi-faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom and our local area. It also understands the vital role it has in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them. 
 
It follows equal opportunities guidance which guarantees that there will be no discrimination against any individual or group, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status, or similar. 

St Regis is dedicated to preparing students for their adult life beyond the formal, examined curriculum and ensuring that it promotes and reinforces British values to all its students.
 
The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy.
The five key British Values are:

• Democracy

• The rule of law

• Individual liberty

• Mutual respect

• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

 
St Regis uses strategies within the national curriculum and beyond to secure such outcomes for students. We have highlighted below some of the ways that we seek to instil British Values.
 

Democracy

At St Regis the principle of democracy is consistently reinforced, with the democratic process being employed for important decisions within the school. All interviews include a student panel and a student led tour and the students involved then feedback to the selection panel prior to appointment. For our School Council, students have to nominate themselves and then produce a manifesto video clip for other students to watch and then vote for their representative, akin to the British electoral system. The School Council feedback directly to the Principal. The principles of democracy are also explored in subjects such as History and Religious Studies as well as in tutor time and assemblies. 
 

The rule of law

The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced through the action of our school. We have a strong set of school rules that students themselves set through our school council. The laws of the land, particularly school rules, to deal with attendance, punctuality and behaviour are promoted through tutor time, school assemblies, houses and lessons. Students are taught the values and reasons behind 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 are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message.
 

Individual liberty

At St Regis, our students are actively encouraged to make independent choices knowing that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for students to make choices safety, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and receive advice about how to exercise these safely, for example through our exploration of E-Safety in computing and their tutor time activities
 

Mutual respect

The relationship between staff and students is a key driver in all we do. This is based on an open respect agenda, a cornerstone of our working practices.
 
The school promotes respect for others and this is reiterated throughout our school environment. In line with our commitment to democracy students at St Regis are always able to voice their opinions and we foster an environment where students are safe to disagree with each other. 
Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum from the concept of ‘fair play’ in PE to the student leadership programme which promote mutual respect and support between students across different year groups within the school.
 

Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs 

This is achieved through equipping students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity within the school community. Typically our school assemblies focus on the personal views and interests of staff and this includes staff from a wide spectrum of the word in which we live.
 
Within the curriculum, we run a number of trips abroad throughout the academic year from which our students gain valuable experience of other cultures and languages. Additionally, students are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school. The agreed Wolverhampton Religious Studies curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures.