Fundamental British Values

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Introduction

Section 78 of the The Eduction Act 2002 requires schools and training providers (such as The Sheffield College) to promote spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of students as part of the curriculum.

Fundamental British values incorporate four themes that enable these developmental areas to be embedded into the curriculum. British Values also ties in with PREVENT by challenging opinions or behaviours in schools and colleges that are contrary to the Fundamental British Values so as to help prevent young people from being radicalised and drawn into extremist causes.

What are the four Fundamental British Values and how does The Sheffield College uphold them?

Democracy

British citizens are encouraged to uphold democracy by participating in General and Local elections to vote for Members of Parliament that best represents them when making national decisions and updating or amending laws and government policy.

The Sheffield College encourages students to vote for their representatives in the Students' Union and participate in learner voice surveys & focus groups that provide our Leadership & Management teams with direct input from students about what we are doing well in our delivery and what we could do better to improve your learning experience.

Rule of law

Although different groups of people in Britain have their own shared morals and opinions, all British citizens are subject to the same laws. The Rule of Law also applies to Members of Parliament who should be subjected to the same legal consequences as any non-governing citizen.

The Sheffield College maintains policies, procedures and guidance that clearly define how a student should proceed when a complex matter arises such as a formal complaint, or appealing against an assessment decision. We also have a detailed Student Charter that defines our expectations for our students so they can Be Safe, Be Ready and Be Respectful.

Individual Liberty

Following the Rule of Law, Article 10 of the 1998 Human Rights Act legally mandates that British citizens are entitled to freedom of expression without intensive governmental constraints, although it is still partially restrained by the Rule of Law and Mutual Respect and Tolerance.

The Sheffield College promotes Individual Liberty through Democracy such as with Student Voice. Also, unlike schools and sixth-forms, we do not impose uniforms or restrictions on personal appearances. Students are encouraged to dress themselves as they choose in a manner that allows them to express themselves and reflect their character. Apprentices are given more flexibility with their learning than other students, allowing you to plan your training around your personal and work life.

Mutual Tolerance and Respect

On some advice & guidance websites, respect and tolerance are split into two values but they are interchangeable. Under the Rule of Law, all employers and citizens are expected to recognise the protected characteristics of individuals and cannot discriminate in a legal or workplace setting.

The Sheffield College promotes mutual respect and tolerance by embedding equality & diversity into its policy making, decision processes and student charter. We also have anti-bullying strategies and procedures so that every student should feel safe when they come to College. As an apprentice, we also want to ensure that your employer is respectful in how they treat you.

What happens when the Fundamental British Values conflict?

You may feel that in the context of College or your workplace, some of these values may conflict. For example, because you have Individual Liberty, you feel you should be able to express opposition to a particular group of people based on a protected characteristic such as race or sexual orientation. But because of the Rule of Law and Mutual Tolerance and Respect, you are prevented from expressing these views. British laws relating to equality and human rights have frequently been changed, amended or updated over the last few decades to try and balance these conflicts, often with great difficulty in providing clarity about what is and isn't acceptable.

When you attend The Sheffield College, you are asked to maintain respect for other students and staff regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic, and likewise you should expect to receive the same treatment. You are free to choose your friends, such as who you will talk to in the canteen, and you are entitled to have private conversations with each other to express your opinions, but when in classrooms, public areas of the College or in your workplace, you should be careful in your interactions with other people that you do not express views that may not be appropriate for the situation and are not perceived as bullying.

For example, you might have a private conversation in the canteen with a friend expressing conservative religious moral values, and you should not expect to be put through disciplinary procedures because of expressing those values, but when attending a classroom or workshop, it should not be necessary to loudly proclaim those values to other students and staff because:

Many students or staff in the classroom may not share those values and do not live by them, they may also not be interested in hearing about your values.
It is highly likely that your views on the subject matter are not relevant to the classroom setting. In most cases if you are learning about your vocation for your apprenticeship course, this is probably not a necessary place or time to express political or moral opinions.

Likewise in your workplace, you may wish to associate and make friends with people who are like-minded and share characteristics with you. You should be able to choose who you befriend in the workplace and this will determine who you socialise with during lunch breaks or out of work, but within the workplace you should still treat every member of staff respectfully and maintain a productive, harmonious working environment. Some conversations may be more appropriate for your friends in private settings than openly with other colleagues.