Vision and Values

Cantell – a happy, thriving and successful school

Vision

Our commitment is to provide an outstanding experience for everyone at Cantell, ensuring that our students:

  • Make excellent academic progress
  • Develop high level communication skills
  • Enjoy exciting learning experiences
  • Experience life changing opportunities
  • Become mature, self-confident, well-rounded young adults
  • Participate in diverse extracurricular activities
  • Feel successful, happy and safe

Values

We are proud of our Cantell Cs – a strong base for our community:

  • Challenge
  • Creativity
  • Commitment
  • Co-operation
  • Courtesy

Delivered through…

  1. A happy, caring and well-ordered environment
  2. Great teaching
  3. Academic rigour and challenge for all
  4. Individualised planning for all students
  5. Outstanding facilities
  6. Our richly diverse community

Promoting British Values for all at Cantell School

What are British Values?

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent strategy. In November 2014, the Department for Education (DfE) reinforced the need ‘to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote these values’.

The five British Values are:

  • Democracy
  • Rule of law
  • Individual liberty
  • Mutual respect
  • Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

The leadership team and all staff at Cantell fully endorse the importance of developing these values and lead the way in doing so; in order that our students not only succeed academically, but also become active citizens who are well-prepared for life in modern  Britain.

General

The five values are encountered by students and staff in all aspects of daily life at Cantell School. In particular, ‘mutual respect’ and ‘tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs’ are embedded in our school, which prides itself on its richly diverse community and the strength that this brings. Our Cantell Cs of Challenge, Creativity, Commitment, Co-operation and Courtesy, evident in the way in which students relate to each other, staff and visitors, also reflect these British values.

Below you can see examples of how we promote the values in the life of our school.

Democracy

Students have a significant voice in developing their own learning journey at Cantell. They are given choice in lessons and asked for feedback, which teachers use to inform planning. Across the curriculum students are given the opportunity to debate, give speeches, work in groups and vote to make decisions. Students are taught about human rights and the responsibilities that come with these in History and Citizenship, and explore the benefits of living in a democracy compared with other forms of government. The Citizenship curriculum includes units of work on British Citizenship where students develop their understanding of the role they can play in democracy and how they can bring about change.  Students have the opportunity to learn about individuals who have fought for, and continue to fight for, democracy and the contribution that they have made to Britain and the world.

There is also a student leadership team with all year groups represented.

Rule of Law

Our students will encounter rules and laws throughout their lives and our aim is for students to understand the importance of these in protecting people and institutions in Britain. Appreciation of following rules and laws is consistently reinforced in lessons, tutor periods and assemblies. Students are also taught about how laws have developed over time in Britain, how they are made in parliament and how the justice system works in the UK.

Individual Liberty

We place great value on the individual and the freedom they have to make choices. Students are actively encouraged to do this knowing that they are in a safe and supported environment. In all areas of the curriculum, students are taught that the journey is more important that the outcome and that even if they make mistakes they will learn on the way. Students are taught E-safety and have a comprehensive personal, social and health curriculum that enables them to make safe and informed choices.

The importance of individual liberty is also explored by looking at the consequences of taking away freedoms, for example the study of slavery, colonialism, the Holocaust and Anti-Semitism, and segregation in North America. 

In Religious Education, the rights of the individual to choose and hold other beliefs are reinforced consistently.

Mutual Respect

Respect is encouraged and expected in all aspects of school life. We have a system of restorative justice and mediation to resolve any conflicts and issues surrounding respect. In all lessons students are treated equally and there is a clear expectation that people will listen to each other’s views with respect.

Mutual respect is developed through the study of different cultures and lifestyles in English, Design Technology, Music, Art, and Humanities, through enrichment days such as a recent Year 7 China Day and themed assemblies, for example on anti-bullying or deaf awareness.

There are many examples of opportunities that students have to develop their respect for different viewpoints through debate and discussion of often complex and controversial issues.

Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

We believe that tolerance comes through knowledge and understanding and we have a broad and balanced RE curriculum that covers a range of faiths, religions and cultures. Our aim is to share our similarities and celebrate our differences and this is also addressed through our assembly and tutor programme that covers religious festivals and cultural events. ‘In the News’ is also an important part of the tutor period, which aims to develop our students understanding of world affairs and in turn increase tolerance.

The Citizenship department run enrichment days such as ‘Combatting Extremism’ and ‘Diversity and Equality’ and students are taught the importance of challenging prejudice and discrimination explicitly in RE, and as a matter of course in all lessons.

If you have any questions about anything raised here, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Harry Kutty, Headteacher.