British Values

They are the heart of everything we believe and do at Holy Trinity Academy

At Holy Trinity Academy we recognise that each student is a member of God’s family and as such, is a unique person at his/her own point in the journey of faith. We provide a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment with a warm and welcoming atmosphere in which to live and learn.

In order to achieve our mission to be committed to development of the whole person we recognise not only the importance of allowing students to flourish academically but we also embrace our wider role in preparing them for their adult life beyond the formal examined curriculum. Part of our role in that preparation is ensuring that we promote and reinforce British values to our students and that they proceed to adulthood with dignity and confidence.

The government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy and considered them to be democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs. At Holy Trinity Academy these values are reinforced in a pervasive manner and permeate the school community at every level.


Democracy: At Holy Trinity Academy the principle of democracy is consistently reinforced, with the democratic process being employed for important decisions within the school community, for instance, elections being held for the Sixth Form head Boy / Girl and for our numerous leadership roles for students. The principle of democracy is explored in History, Citizenship and Religious Education as well as in PSHEC lessons, tutor time and Acts of Collective Worship.

The Rule of Law: The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout regular school days, as well as when dealing with behaviour and through school assemblies. Students are taught the values and reasons behind laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken.

Visits from authorities are a part of our calendar and help reinforce this message. In addition ‘Rights and Responsibilities’ are an integral element of our curriculum.

Individual Liberty: Within Holy Trinity Academy, students are actively encouraged to make independent choices knowing that they are in a safe, secure and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for students to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights, responsibilities and personal freedoms and receive advice about how to exercise these safely, for example through our exploration of E-Safety in computing and their tutor time activities.

Mutual Respect: Respect, personal behaviour and self-discipline are at the core of our school ethos and these are
modelled by students and staff alike. The school promotes respect for others and this is reiterated through our classroom and learning environments. In line with our commitment to democracy students at Holy Trinity Academy are always able to voice their opinions and we foster an environment where students are safe to disagree with each other. Mutual respect is embraced throughout the curriculum from the concept of ‘fair play’ in PE to Year 7 Reading Programme where the Year 12 students work with the Year 7 pupils, from the Gospel values which permeate the Academy to the time that we spend together on a day to day basis.


Tolerance of those of different Faiths and Beliefs

Holy Trinity Academy is a Christian School for all. Our strong Christian ethos is inclusive of all faiths and those with no specific faith and we promote a strong sense of community. This is achieved through equipping students with the ability to understand their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience
such diversity within the school community. Students are given numerous opportunities to be of service to the local community, the Church and society in general irrespective of race and creed. We also run a number of trips abroad throughout the academic year from which our students gain valuable experience of other cultures and
languages. Additionally, students are actively encouraged to share their faith and beliefs within the school. Our Religious Education curriculum provides a broad and balanced education on a range of faiths, religions and cultures, while we provide an extensive and valuable induction to all staff and students who are non-Christian.

Should you feel that the school is not meeting this requirement, you should contact the school office and request to express your concerns with the Headteacher or a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Likewise, if you feel that anyone working at the school is undermining these values you should report this to us immediately.