Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
At Cardinal Heenan we deliver a rich, relevant, broad and balanced curriculum which includes upholding and teaching students about British Values. We do this within aspects of the PHSCE and RE curricula, in assemblies and in the classroom through the study of issues such as conservation and human rights in various subjects.
The school’s balanced approach to Religious Education (RE) is Catholic and Christian but takes account of the teaching and practices of the other principal religions in Britain. The Catholic Christian ethos of the school strongly promotes tolerance of and respect for people of all cultures, lifestyles and faiths (or those of no faith).
At Cardinal Heenan students are taught how to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the law. Staff ensure that Students accept responsibility for their behaviour with reference to the clear set of expectations set out in our Positive Discipline policy. The school has effective systems for ensuring a school culture where students conduct themselves with respect, courtesy and good manners. Our students understand how such behaviour contributes to school life, relationships, adult life and work. Programmes of learning in each subject encourage our students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence actively.
British Values
The school actively promotes British values by:
- ensuring, by means of student questionnaires and interviews, that all students within the school have a voice that is listened to
- demonstrating how democracy works by actively promoting democratic processes such as our school council, whose members are voted for by the students
- promoting our debating and philosophy clubs which provide students with the opportunity to learn how to argue and defend points of view and are popular with students
- using opportunities such as general elections to hold debates and mock elections which promote fundamental British values
- teaching about the dangers of extremism and radicalisation
- working with the police and other agencies to safeguard individuals who might be vulnerable to being radicalised, so that they are not at risk of being drawn into terrorist related activity
- working with the government’s Prevent strategy which aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting any form of terrorism
- monitoring and tackling all forms of bullying and harassment, including cyber bullying, prejudice-based bullying related to SEN, sex, race, religion and belief, disability, sexual orientation and gender reassignment
- giving students opportunities to show initiative and to contribute positively to the lives of those within the school and wider community by engaging in extracurricular activities and volunteering. Each year funds are raised for local, national and international charities such as CAFOD, St Gemma’s Hospice and The Sylvia Wright Trust
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE)
The school’s programme of learning in Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) develops our students’ understanding and knowledge so that they learn, as appropriate for the age of students:
- the strengths, advantages and disadvantages of democracy
- how democracy and the law works in Britain, in contrast to different forms of government in other countries
- an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
Religious Education (RE)
The school’s programme of learning in Religious Education (RE) develops students’ understanding and knowledge so that they learn, as appropriate for the age of students:
- an understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
- an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures in a way that promotes tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions
- an acceptance that 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
- an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination
