Our Values

Our Values

At Uckfield College, we know that a very significant part of our role in the lives of young people is about helping them to develop personally; preparing them for their life as successful and responsible citizens. 

Throughout the college we support and promote strongly the ‘Fundamental British Values’ outlined by the Department for Education: democracy; the rule of law; individual liberty and mutual respect;  tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.  

Our curriculum explicitly teaches these values in Life, Religion and Ethical Studies and PSHE and when the issue is relevant in any other subject it is highlighted in our schemes of learning, eg a particular topic in History, a text in English or a case study in Geography. 

Our spiralised ‘Realising Potential’ assembly programme for Years 7 - 13 allows students to engage with British Values whilst also providing a starting point for discussion in Personal Development Time with tutors. 


All staff at Uckfield College are trained in Prevent (an element of the government’s strategy for countering extremism and terrorism) and are aware of their responsibilities around this area.  When presenting these values in assemblies, we make it clear that the values are not exclusively those of Britain but are vital to democratic countries and people across the world.

 

Democracy

 

Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of different  opportunities to learn about a democratic society:

  • College Council with student-elected form representatives

  • College votes to mirror national votes, eg the recent Brexit Referendum

  • History and assembly curriculum

  • Model United Nations General Assembly event

  • Mock election hustings with the real candidates

  • CPD for teachers through leading of the Politics post-16 Education and Improvement Partnership HUB

The Rule of Law

 

 At UCTC  we highlight the expectations we have for a College that is safe and secure and an  environment which is positive for learning through our high-reliability protocols and our  guidelines for break and lunchtimes.  In addition:

  • Our assemblies and our Learners’ Charter consider the importance of laws,
    justice and the rights and responsibilities of individuals.

  • We have clear expectations in terms of e-safety and promote safe learning
    online along with discussing the potential consequences of using the Internet for inappropriate means.

  • The PSHE curriculum in lessons and in our Drop Down Days gives opportunities for students to fully understand the differences between “right” and “wrong” and how views may differ but all people living in England are subject to its law.

Individual Liberty and Mutual Respect

  
In our last OFSTED inspection, students were praised as some of the most ‘moral’ the inspectors had ever met and the ethos of our College is based on mutual respect and consideration for others:

  • Students widely participate in extra-curricular activities in College. These activities support students to develop their own personal skills in a wide variety of different areas, including those of working respectfully with other people.

  • Students are encouraged to consider mutual respect and liberty in relation to
    e-safety and personal safety through our curriculum and through all lessons.

  • We actively promote respect for others through the praise and consequences systems embedded into teaching and learning along with the rewards processes in College.

  • Our anti-bullying policies, assemblies and curriculum teaches students about respecting individuals’ beliefs and their rights to hold them, along with
    highlighting the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.

  • Our staff policies extend our expectation that all members of the College community will treat one another with respect and dignity.

  • Our work with the whole school community on supporting the rights of different groups within our student and staff community (for example, LGBT).

Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

 

The PSHE and Life, Religion and Ethics curriculum provide well-planned and taught opportunities for students to learn about  diversity, faith and beliefs, ensuring that students are aware of different faiths and beliefs outside that of the school community:

  • Discussions in these lessons lead to students developing an understanding of personal choice and belief and the respect shown towards all people of every faith.

  • As part of their experience on Drop Down Days students will experience opportunities to allow them to expand their knowledge of people outside of the college community. Over the course of their school life they will have opportunities to engage with people from different faiths and religions both inside the college and in the wider community.

  • Tolerance is a key strand in the assembly programme.