What do ‘British values’ mean?

According DfE, ‘fundamental British values’ comprise:

The Department for Education (DfE) places a duty on EYFS providers, schools, colleges to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain by developing their understanding of ‘fundamental British values’.

How should schools teach it?

Guidance from the Department for Education is that British values should be promoted through SMSC.

For maintained schools, this is set out in Promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC.

What should be covered?

• Enable students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence
• Enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of Britain
• Encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely
• Enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in Britain
• Further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation for and respect for their own and other cultures
• Encourage respect for other people
• Encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in Britain
• Encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.

Summary of British Values - A short video explaining 'British Values'