Pupils, parents, staff and Governors have many opportunities for their voices to be heard at Gascoigne. Democracy is central to how we operate and we always adopt an 'open-door' policy.

An obvious example is our School Council. The election of the School Council members reflects our British electoral system and demonstrates democracy in action; candidates make speeches, pupils consider characteristics important for an elected representative etc. The School Council is made up of two representatives from each class, meeting regularly to discuss a range of issues. Members of this council have even been involved in the recruitment process of staff asking very pertinent questions ! Pupils are also asked to provide feedback on a range of subjects, including pupil surveys/ questionnaires.

Our pupils are always listened to by adults and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. We encourage pupils to take ownership of not only their school but also of their learning and progress. This encourages a heightened sense of both personal and social responsibility and is demonstrated on a daily basis by pupils.

The importance of rules and laws, whether they be those that govern our school or our country, are referred to and reinforced regularly, such as in assemblies and when reflecting on behaviour choices. We have a whole school behaviour system which ensures consistency across the school in terms of expectations and on a practical day-to -day use.

Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves, and the consequences when laws are broken. These values are reinforced in different ways; for example, visits from the police and fire service; during Religious Education when rules for particular faiths are focused upon; during other school subjects, where there is respect and appreciation for different rules, for example, in P.E lessons.

Alongside rules and laws, we promote freedom of choice and the right to respectfully express views and beliefs. Through the provision of a safe, supportive environment, we provide boundaries for our pupils to make choices safely; for example, lunchtime activities; participation in extra-curricular clubs.

Our pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are taught how to exercise these safely; for example E-safety / SEAL/ SRE/ PSHE lessons.

Gascoigne Primary is in an area which is culturally diverse and we are immensely proud to promote and celebrate our different backgrounds and beliefs. Mutual respect is at the heart of our aims and ethos of the school. Our pupils know and understand that it is expected and imperative that respect is shown to EVERYONE, regardless of the differences we may have, and to EVERYTHING, whether it is, for example, a school resource, or a religious belief. Pupils learn that their behaviour choices have an effect on their own rights and those of others. ALL members of the school community should treat each other with respect.

We, at Gascoigne, aim to enhance pupils' understanding and respect for different faiths and beliefs through, for example, Religious Education, SEAL and other lessons where we develop awareness and appreciation of other cultures. We also consider other cultures through English (studying a variety of texts), Art and through themed weeks, for example, Black History Week.

This is clearly not part of any British or European value. It is important to remember that whilst threat from so-called Islamic State has been the focus in the Counter Terrorism and Security Act, the PREVENT DUTY is clear that extremism of all kinds should be tackled too. In England, far right groups such as Britain First and the English Defence League need to be tackled too. Extremism is not a new topic in education, but schools have a relatively new statutory duty to pay 'due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism'.