The government have reinforced the promotion of tolerance and respect in British schools recently, stating these are key British values.
The guidance document released by the government at the end of November, entitled ‘Promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC in schools,’ comes after a number of statements made by members of the government, following concerns around an Islamist takeover in Birmingham schools earlier this year.
The aims of the document are to support school staff in “promot[ing] pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development,” and states “Pupils must be encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance.”
The government have reinforced this message throughout the year, with recently appointed Education Secretary Nicky Morgan stating “Schools should broaden horizons not close minds…and should encourage pupils to respect other people, even if they do not agree with them.”
Schools are expected to “further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures,” and ensure pupils are respectful of others with different faiths or beliefs, even if they don’t agree with them.
NCFE agree that the promotion of tolerance and respect is vital in schools in order to create an inclusive and friendly atmosphere in a modern diverse Britain. We believe nobody should be discriminated for attributes such as gender, skin colour, faith or nationality.
The government are encouraging schools to deliver extra-curricular activities to promote these values, and NCFE can help you with our qualifications in Equality and Diversity. These qualifications are designed to be flexible and can be delivered online or outside of school hours in addition to the regular curriculum. Find out more about these qualifications.
What do you think? How are you promoting respect and tolerance in your school, and how do you think this should be handled?
