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Promoting British values in schools

Learn how governing boards ensure that the legal duty to promote fundamental British values is being met.

Guidance
15/12/2022

What are the British values?

All schools are required by law to promote the fundamental British values of:

  • democracy
  • the rule of law
  • individual liberty
  • mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Ofsted inspectors consider how well a school promotes British values when judging the effectiveness of leadership and management.

The role of governing boards is to ensure that the legal duty to promote fundamental British values is being met by:

  • setting an ethos that promotes fundamental British values   
  • approving policies that are consistent with their ethos
  • ensuring that fundamental British values are visible in a rich, broad and balanced curriculum
  • monitoring how fundamental British values are being promoted in school
  • taking appropriate action if anyone acts to undermine fundamental British values

This page covers:

  • meeting this responsibility in practice
  • what British values in the curriculum might look like
  • questions for governing boards to ask

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