As part of a broad and balanced curriculum we aim to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our young people. This includes promoting fundamental British values as set out by the Department for Education (2014).

Some of these values are complex, especially for the autistic young people we support, but through our specialist approach using visual cues and sensory stories we can help young people have an understanding of the following values at a level they are capable of.

An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process:

• Offering appropriate choice
• Giving students a voice or alternative communication methods for those who are pre-verbal
• Establishing a student council
• Helping them to understand decision-making by, for example, use of countdowns
• Providing opportunities to vote
• Turn-taking and respecting the choice of others
• Providing opportunities for all
• Addressing poor choices according to mental capacity
• Teaching and understanding of restrictions to a ‘choice’

An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their well-being and safety:

• Helping young people understand that school rules are for the protection of all
• Establishing and promoting rules for clothing, safety, specific areas such as the swimming pool and outdoor activities
• Establishing boundaries
• Teaching of social and community rules
• Aiding understanding of what is public and private
• Respecting personal space
• Safe and appropriate use of equipment
• Promoting healthy living, exercise and healthy eating

An understanding that there is a separation of power between the executive and the judiciary, and that while some public bodies such as the police and the army can be held to account through Parliament, others such as the courts maintain independence:

• Signposting of rules
• Establishing the rule-makers and who helps us understand what they are, e.g. teachers, social workers, parents

An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law:

• Aiding the understanding that there are many faiths and religions
• Taking part in cultural days such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Burns night, Chinese New Year etc.
• Respecting individual family cultural needs
• Visits to places of worship such as churches, temples, mosques
• Teaching through assembly and class activities
• Allowing time for quiet reflection
• Diversity through recruitment

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:

• Staff and students are to refrain from imposing views on others
• Teaching understanding through our Learning Framework
• Acting within the law
• Aiding children's understanding of faith
• Acceptance of all religions

An understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination:

• Demonstrating appropriate behaviour for young people to model
• Promote the rights of our children
• Aiding understanding of differences through social stories and our adapted curriculum

Read more about Functional Academics