Thornhill Academy serves a wide and diverse community. 

Our pupils, their families, our staff and other partners represent a diverse range of home backgrounds and cultures.  We aim to deliver a curriculum that is reflective of modern Britain and incorporates the interests of pupils to support them in becoming good local, national, and global citizens of the future.

The Department for Education states there is a need ‘to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.’

Our Academy reflects British values in all we do.  We support and educate our pupils during their time with us in order to ensure they grow into caring, responsible, and tolerant adults who make a positive difference to British society and the wider world. We encourage them to be creative, unique, open-minded and independent individuals, respectful of themselves and others in our school, our local community and beyond.

At Thornhill, we actively promote British values in the following ways:

Democracy

Pupils are encouraged to debate topics of interest, express their views and make a meaningful contribution to the running of the school. They are able to do this in a number of ways e.g. through pupil voice activities; school council; questionnaires and surveys; assemblies.

Rule of Law

We have a clear positive ‘Ready to Learn’ policy which helps pupils to make positive choices about their behaviour. Through our Pastoral Curriculum, pupils are helped to distinguish right from wrong.  There is an expectation that this is reflected in the classroom, during assemblies and in the playground. This is supported by a Restorative Justice approach. Pupils are encouraged to respect the law and we actively encourage visits from services such as the Police, Fire, and Ambulance services to help reinforce the message.

Individual Liberty

At the Academy, pupils are encouraged, and given the freedom to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment, e.g. challenging themselves in their learning. They are supported to develop self-knowledge, self-confidence and a growth mind-set in all areas of school life. Pupils are taught to understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms in a safe way, e.g. Form Time Curriculum;  PSHE lessons.  They have key responsibilities in school such as Peer Mentoring and Prefects.

Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

Pupils understand that respect is expected to be shown to everyone, both adults and children.  We help them to develop an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other cultures. Staff and pupils are encouraged to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.

Links with local faith communities and visits to places of worship are promoted and people from different faiths are invited to school to share their experiences in assemblies and in class. Through the PSHE and RE curriculum pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences and similarities between people. We offer a culturally rich and diverse curriculum in which all major religions are studied.