The fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs are already implicitly embedded in the 2014 Early Years Foundation Stage. Separately, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act also places a duty on early years providers “to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism” (the Prevent duty). The duty comes into effect in July 2015.

 

To help demonstrate what this means in practice, here are the following examples based on what is in the statutory guidance. They are just that – examples - and not exhaustive, but hopefully useful to you. 

 

Democracy: making decisions together

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As part of the focus on self-confidence and self-awareness as cited in Personal,

 

Social and Emotional Development:

• Managers and staff can encourage children to see their role in the bigger picture, encouraging children to know their views count, value each other’s views and values and talk about their feelings, for example when they do or do not need help. When appropriate demonstrate democracy in action, for example, children sharing views on what the theme of their role play area could be with a show of hands.

• Staff can support the decisions that children make and provide activities that involve turn-taking, sharing and collaboration. Children should be given opportunities to develop inquiring minds in an atmosphere where questions are valued. Rule of law: understanding rules matter as cited in Personal Social and Emotional Development. As part of the focus on managing feelings and behaviour:

• Staff can ensure that children understand their own and others’ behaviour and its consequences, and learn to distinguish right from wrong.

• Staff can collaborate with children to create the rules and the codes of behaviour, for example, to agree on the rules about tidying up and ensure that all children understand rules apply to everyone

 

Rule of law: understanding rules matter as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development
As part of the focus on managing feelings and behaviour:

• Staff can ensure that children understand their own and others’ behaviour and its consequences, and learn to distinguish right from wrong.

• Staff can collaborate with children to create the rules and the codes of behaviour, for example, to agree on the rules about tidying up and ensure that all children understand rules apply to everyone.

 

 

Individual liberty: freedom for all

 

As part of the focus on self-confidence & self-awareness and people & communities as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development and Understanding the World:

• Children should develop a positive sense of themselves. Staff can provide

opportunities for children to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and increase their confidence in their own abilities, for example through allowing children to take risks on an obstacle course, mixing colours, talking about their experiences and learning.

• Staff should encourage a range of experiences that allow children to explore the language of feelings and responsibility, reflect on their differences and understand we are free to have different opinions, for example in a small group discuss what they feel about transferring into Reception Class.

 

Mutual respect and tolerance: treat others as you want to be treated

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As part of the focus on people & communities, managing feelings & behaviour and making relationships as cited in Personal Social and Emotional development and Understanding the World:

• Managers and leaders should create an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance where views, faiths, cultures and races are valued and children are engaged with the wider community.

• Children should acquire a tolerance and appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; know about similarities and differences between themselves and others and among families, faiths, communities, cultures and traditions and share and discuss practices, celebrations and experiences.

• Staff should encourage and explain the importance of tolerant behaviours such as sharing and respecting other’s opinions.

• Staffs should promote diverse attitudes and challenge stereotypes, for example, sharing stories that reflect and value the diversity of children’s experiences and providing resources and activities that challenge gender, cultural and racial stereotyping.

 

What is not acceptable is:

• actively promoting intolerance of other faiths, cultures and races

• failure to challenge gender stereotypes and routinely segregate girls and boys

• isolating children from their wider community

• failure to challenge behaviours (whether of staff, children or parents) that are not in line with the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs.