Promoting British Values in the Early Years

How to Foster a Sense of Belonging

Julia Gouldsboro, Julia Maria Gouldsboro

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781138636149
• eBook ISBN: 9781351796194
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Promoting British Values in the Early Years

explores what is meant by British values and how these can be promoted in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The book encourages practitioners to reflect on their own attitudes and beliefs and highlights the importance of parents, children and practitioners working together to create inclusive communities. It also examines how and why it is important to foster a sense of belonging, provide inspiration and promote positive attitudes in order to improve outcomes for children.

With case studies and useful links to the EYFS, this book will help readers to nurture children's sense of identity and support them in becoming responsible citizens, celebrating diversity and valuing different cultures, customs and practices. It offers practical guidance on how to develop children's understanding of liberty and democracy, and a mutual tolerance and respect for different faiths and beliefs.

This book will be of interest to Early Years practitioners and primary school teachers, as well as undergraduates studying relevant Early Years and Childhood Studies courses. It is also relevant to parents of young children.

1 Introduction

British values in practice — fostering a sense of belonging in the Early Years

The concept of British values in practice requires an ethos inherent in settings and communities that fosters tolerance and respect for each other. These are the qualities that already underpin the Early Years curriculum framework, legislation and policies. The main emphasis to consider is to provide a curriculum that enables children to thrive in an environment of positivity and safety where they learn to grow into responsible and caring individuals. Ensuring that children, from a young age, learn how to express themselves in a fair and sensitive way, whilst respecting other views and opinions, is necessary for them to successfully achieve a sense of democracy. This requires an understanding of fairness and a sense of right and wrong:

No one can learn tolerance in a climate of irresponsibility, which does not produce democracy. Tolerance requires respect, discipline, and ethics.

(Freire 2005: 77)

It advocates a sense of knowing when children need to be protected from extreme forms of behaviour that may present a danger to their development, growth, and attitudes on how they view the world and each other. The common inspection framework (Ofsted 2015a) informed Early Years settings of the need to produce and implement safeguarding procedures that protected children from exploitation and radicalisation from extreme groups in society. This has been addressed through the Prevent duty guidance. It also introduced the concept of British values and supported settings with examples of how to promote these values through the curriculum so that a positive sense of belonging and identity emerges from those who live and work in Britain.

To effectively promote British values and adhere to the Prevent duty guidance, practitioners need a clear, detailed understanding of safeguarding requirements and a transparent definition of what is meant by British values.

The topics discussed in this book are as follows:

Identity: understanding and taking ownership of identity

The reader is asked to examine and reflect on the definition and understanding of British values. Britain needs to understand its identity and its citizens need to feel that they belong. It is paramount when educating young children that practitioners promote a positive sense of identity and build up self-esteem and self-worth if the future generation wishes to successfully and effectively celebrate diversity, whilst respecting and tolerating differences. This is not a new concept. Many theorists, such as Bowlby, examine the importance of secure attachments, and Goleman refers to this development as emotional intelligence. The best way that this can be achieved is by following legislation that ensures every child matters. Unfortunately, at times, children have been at risk of discrimination and harm. Legislation has tried to combat stereotyping and discriminatory practice by addressing these concerns and having in place rules and laws that are adhered to and above all accepted by society. The concept of British values in practice needs clear and succinct rules for it to be successful.

Safeguarding: the Prevent duty guidance

The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 highlights the responsibility of all those who work or have contact with children to be alert and aware of how children can be drawn in to terrorism, and so this book reflects on the Prevent duty guidance and its impact on practice, safeguarding our most vulnerable children. It asks practitioners to be alert to children’s behaviour that may give cause for concern. The Channel duty guidance (https://www.gov.uk/Channel_Duty_Guidance_April_2015.pdf) is an early intervention strategy that supports children and is an extension of safeguarding laws. It is specific to the individual vulnerability of each case. But the Prevent duty guidance has been accused of scaremongering and limiting itself to one form of extremism, which has had a negative effect on groups in society. This book reflects on the different types of extremism and violence that children may be susceptible to from an early age and the importance of working together to support those children identified at risk.

Values and attitudes

For practitioners to be truly good role models to the young generation, they need to be reflective practitioners. They need to evaluate the impact of their attitudes and behaviour when supporting diversity, keeping children safe from extremism and combating stereotyping. Reflecting on our own values and attitudes is a fundamental starting point because, unless we are secure in ourselves and what we value, then it will be difficult to translate this for our youngest children. This book considers the wider context of the practitioner’s own values and attitudes and how it can impact on practice. It reflects on the need for honest information to be accessible and available to the practitioner. It also emphasises the importance of being a positive role model and facilitator for all children, supporting them in effectively developing a positive self-esteem and self-worth. At the same time, it is important for practitioners to understand they will not have all the answers but can and should acknowledge all the different questions that come to light on reflection.

The responsibility of the whole community

British values are not only the responsibility of practitioners and professionals that work in educational settings. It goes further than this. It involves parents and the whole community. This book discusses the responsibility of the whole community and defines it as being a meaningful neighbour, ensuring children grow and develop into responsible citizens of the future, understanding that they belong to a community and so their actions will have an impact on the community.

Examples of practice

Finally, by demonstrating how British values in practice can be effective through the curriculum, the ethos behind those values asks practitioners to have a thorough understanding of what it means to be a competent, reflective practitioner. Examples of practice ensure that children from an early age are learning to follow the British values of tolerance, rule of law, individual liberty and democracy to become respectful, caring and responsible citizens. The only effective way practitioners can do this is to find out what we have in common, whilst respecting uniqueness.

When referring to ‘practitioners’ throughout this book, this is defined as all Early Years professionals, trainers, students, teachers, nursery staff, childminders and all who work and care for children or who are studying to achieve a qualification to work and care for young children.

2 Defining British values

Identity

British values should be a proclamation of what binds us together as a nation. It is paramount that it is accepted as a positive phrase that identifies the rules and values that are adhered to in Britain. In accepting these rules and values practitioners will ultimately help achieve a successful and tolerant society. To accept these rules and values, everyone needs to feel part of the community and the rules and values need to be fair. Society needs to voice opinions to ensure these rules and values continue to be fair. This includes equipping our youngest members of the community with the skills needed, from an early age, to realise that freedom of expression is acceptable but comes with responsibilities.

All morality consists in a system of rules and the essence of all morality is to be sought for in the respect which the individual acquires for these rules.

(Piaget 1965:1)

The role of the Early Years practitioner is to encourage tolerance and respect for each other from a very early age. Having a successful, enabling environment that supports a generation to feel good about themselves and to care and respect each other ensures that children will celebrate their uniqueness, have a clear sense of belonging and develop a self-respect as well as a positive attitude towards each other. By having clear rules to follow, it ensures children learn to cooperate and interact within these boundaries.

The term ‘British values’ is a statement that demands the involvement of the whole country. It asks the country to stand together and agree on a set of rules and principles that endeavour to create a fair and equal society. In Early Years’ settings, it asks the practitioners and professionals that work with children to have these values as a firm foundation when supporting children in their development. This firm foundation starts with dialogue, which develops into conversations, extends to decision making and grows into freedom to express opinions in a responsible way.

Dialogue with children

It is imperative that practitioners are in a dialogue with children from an early age. Before the learning of knowledge can take place, children always need to share and learn how to work together, to feel confident to explore and make sense of the world. They need opportunities to feel part of the world through dialogue (Brodie 2014). Children have a voice. Children have a right to be heard. They have the right to contribute to decisions that affect them. Paulo Freire (1921–1997) interprets education as a dialogue. He believes dialogue involves respect. It should not involve one person acting for another, but rather people working with each other (Freire 2005). As practitioners, there is an essential agreement that there is a need to promote tolerance, to listen to each other and to have a set of values that, as a nation, are agreed and shared. There is also a constant need to talk and discuss, reflecting on what is successful and what needs to change.

Children need opportunities to engage in dialogue and learn the skill of successful dialogue so that it is understood and accepted that their views and opinions matter. As they grow and develop, this will enable them to feel part of an ongoing dialogue of what works or doesn’t work for the society that they feel part of and belong to. Dialogue is the foundation that a democracy is built on and continuous dialogue should guarantee rules are fair and continue to be fair. Legislation in education safeguards children so that they can find a voice.

Children will have conversations with the adults that surround them and so will be influenced in their perceptions from the adults’ perceptions and experiences. A child’s understanding of self is ‘interwoven with the society and culture to which they belong’ (Park and King 2003: 1). Dialogue opens the channels of communication and ensures that everyone perceives British values as effective, meaningful and relevant to them.

The importance of identity

For dialogue to be successful, there is a need to have a clear understanding of identity. Children will develop a positive image of themselves and a sense of identity if they feel that they belong. This means the practitioner must know how they can promote an inclusive, positive ethos in the Early Years curriculum. A clear identity enables children to feel confident to contribute to the democracy through dialogue and grow into responsible citizens in the future.

Defining British values

The term ‘British values’ was introduced to define identity and focus on what we have in common. It lays the foundations for the rules of the nation that should be accepted and followed by everyone. However, the word ‘British’ seems to cause many problems and some find the term ‘parochial, patronising and arrogant’ (Rosen 2014). Many interpret it as a political ploy and alarming. In a recent article ‘Childhood, Curriculum, Early Years, Education Policy’ Jenny Robson (2015) comments that there is an underhanded reason for the language and comments that it could be construed with suspicion.

Fundamental British values are an attempt by government to articulate a set of values within a broad anti-terrorism strategy; defined as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs.

(Robson 2015)

Some have interpreted it completely wrong and, in a tokenistic way, rushed out to buy the poster of the black taxi or the red bus. ‘Promoting British values is not about celebrating stereotypical British traditions and institutions; it is about encouraging the people of Britain to share a set of values that promote tolerance, respect and community cohesion’ (Sargent 2016: 9).

Goddard (2016) argues that it should be defined as ‘human’ values, believing that referring to it as ‘British values’ has the opposite effect of inclusion and instead creates a divide.

Many communities that have settled in Britain may not define themselves as British or may not be perceived or accepted as part of the British community. There seems to be a confusion regarding who belongs and identifies with Britain, and there are many opinions as to who is accepted as British. For dialogue to be successful, clarity is needed on identity.

Is the identity of Britain multicultural?

History has uncovered many incidences of struggles that have enabled Britain to grow into a nation that hopefully respects and tolerates difference. Many of our European neighbours would describe Britain as multicultural, and this should be welcomed as a positive description. However, the message of multiculturalism, at times, did not have the positive effect it was supposed to have. Some saw it as a form of tokenism and activities in the curriculum around schools demonstrated this with minimal effort.

Britain has always been a diverse society made up of many ethnic groups, religions, cultures and races. The British Isles itself is made up of Irish, English, Welsh and Scottish communities that have very different customs and traditions. Vikings and Romans settled in this country. And many continue to settle in this country and make it their home.

When Britain hosted the Olympics in 2012, it was very keen to portray itself as multicultural. The Olympics bid portrayed images of multiculturalism in a positive light. But this soon changed when immigration became a scapegoat for the problems facing the UK and after the bombing of 7/7 there was a realisation that rejection and isolation was still felt by those that had made Britain their home and had grown up in the same communities they felt rejected and often despised by. Such rhetoric is typified by William Pfaff, writing in The Observer just a month after the attacks; in an article headed ‘A monster of our own making’, he writes, ‘these British bombers are a consequence of a misguided and catastrophic pursuit of multiculturalism’ (2005).

Defining Britain as multicultural therefore had a knock-on effect. It could be accused of having the opposite effect of inclusion and instead isolated groups. It could also be argued that Britain has failed in defining itself as multicultural. The events in Park View School in Birmingham...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• 1 Introduction: British values in practice — fostering a sense of belonging in the Early Years
• 2 Defining British values: identity
• 3 Following the rules and values
• 4 Protecting our identity: understanding and implementing the Prevent duty guidance
• 5 Fostering a sense of belonging: valuing the unique child and supporting positive relationships
• 6 British values in practice: providing enabling environments and supporting learning and development
• 7 The meaningful neighbour
• 8 Reflecting on our own values and attitudes
• 9 Concluding thoughts
• Bibliography
• Index