Richard Cloudesley School

Pupil voice and communication autonomy is very important and something as a school we continue to develop and strive towards. This is a key aspect of our school improvement work.

Pupils attend their person centred EHCP review meeting and their opinions are shared in the most appropriate and meaningful way as possible. For some pupils this means their full input throughout the meeting and for others they are present for some aspects of the meeting.

The principles of democracy are explored in the curriculum e.g. Turn taking, sharing and collaboration, as well as during assemblies and special projects.

School council in secondary is very well established and is working on:

• Creating a bigger space to socialise and exercise with ease;
• Having more of a canteen feel to the secondary lunch hall;
• Increasing the range of lunchtime activities;
• Introducing a tuck shop.
• Achievements are celebrated and rewards are embedded into our school culture and ethos.
• We promote a school environment where questions are valued and encouraged.
• Pupils are encouraged to be part of staff recruitment.
• We have a secondary debating group that consider topical issues and how they affect our lives.

• The ethos and school environment promotes and encourages respect and helps pupils to distinguish right from wrong.
• Class rules are shared more frequently as and where necessary, reminding pupils of our school ethos and values.
• The Behaviour and Anti-Bullying policies set out a zero tolerance baseline for any form of aggression, abuse or violence, which extends to pupils, staff and parent and carers. We raise awareness of bullying by being part of the National Anti Bullying Week.
• Close links with the City of London Police support our curriculum work around ‘DARE’ and how to access the community safely.

• Our school environment is one that promotes independence and individual communication. Our aim is to work towards pupils having full autonomy. Pupils are supported by skilled communication partners to take ownership of their learning. All staff are skilled at scaffolding communication with minimal support necessary to promote engagement and achievement.
• We have regular Find A Voice days, where every member of our school community is encouraged to use an alternative voice.
• We all work to promote the pupils self-esteem and positive sense of self throughout the school day and in the wider community
• From the EYFS through to sixth form pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour and are supported to learn to make safe choices that enable them to grow as individuals and reach their own potential in all aspects of their learning
• As pupils move up through the school they are supported to understand their rights and personal freedoms and are given appropriate advice to enable them to make independent decisions.
• Vulnerable pupils are supported to make appropriate decisions and staff ensure that adults supporting them are doing so with the pupils best interests. This forms the basis of our person centred approach to annual reviews.
• We conduct annual pupil and parent surveys and use the results to inform the coming year's school improvement plan.
• We pride ourselves on a school culture and ethos that builds respect, tolerance and resilience.
• We are in the process of becoming a Rights Respecting School.

• Respect is one of the core values of our school. The pupils know and understand that it is expected that respect is shown to everyone, adults and children.
• The Sixth Form run a weekly soup kitchen with the local church for homeless people.
• Pupils are helped to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other opinions, cultures and ways of life.
• Staff and pupils are encouraged to challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour. All incidents are recorded.
• We have an annual International Week where lessons focus on different cultures and countries, culminating in a celebration afternoon.
• Links and visits are promoted with local faith communities and places of worship. E.g. Members of different faiths or religions are invited to school to share their knowledge and enhance learning within assemblies and in class.
• Through the PSHE and RE curriculums pupils are encouraged to discuss and respect differences between people, such as differences of faith, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexuality and differences of family situations.
• A representative group of our pupils attend the annual Islington RE Conference.
• Displays around the school celebrate our diverse community
• Assemblies are a way of introducing pupils to a larger community group and a lovely way to share & celebrate pupil’s achievements, discuss culturally rich and diverse curriculum topics. Classes can lead the assembly in a show and tell style
• Links with our immediate community provide rich real life experiences

The school recognises its duty to protect our students from indoctrination into any form of extreme ideology which may lead to the harm of self or others. This is particularly important because of the open access to electronic information through the internet. The schools aims to safeguard young people through educating them on the appropriate use of social media and the dangers of downloading and sharing inappropriate material which is illegal under the Counter-Terrorism Act. The school vets all visitors carefully and will take firm action if any individual or group is perceived to be attempting to influence members of our school community, either physically or electronically. Our definition of radical or extreme ideology is ‘a set of ideas which could justify vilification or violence against individuals, groups or self.’ Staff are trained to be vigilant for spotting signs of extremist view and behaviours and to always report anything which may suggest a student is expressing opinions which may cause concern. Our core mission of diversity permeates all we do. We place a strong emphasis on the common values that all communities share such as self-respect, tolerance and the sanctity of life. We work hard to broaden our students' experience, to prepare them for life and work in contemporary Britain. We teach them to respect and value the diversity around them as well as understanding how to make safe, well-considered decisions.

Safeguarding and preparing for life in modern Britain thorough the promotion of British values is developed through our policies and procedures, through whole school celebrations and events and through the timetabled lessons. Communication autonomy and working towards being as independent as possible in what individuals can say is at the heart of our values. Communication opportunities are planned into lessons and each student has a communication target as part of their Personal Development Targets. This promotes communication autonomy; getting your needs met, self -advocacy, including the ability to say no. Assemblies celebrate difference and diversity between people and in their beliefs; through them we better understand each other and this promotes respect for the variety of customs and cultures in our school. Themed activity weeks (e.g. RE week, friendship week) provide opportunities to learn about and experience different cultures and ideas and celebrate diversity in our community and in the wider world.

Across the school these activities are planned for within the curriculum:

Early Years Foundation Stage

• Making positive relationships
• Self-confidence and self-awareness
• Managing feelings & behaviour
• Family and friends
• Special events and celebrations
• Understanding similarities and difference

Key Stage 1

• Personal safety
• Personal identity
• Different people and their responsibilities
• People who help us and keep us safe
• Boys and girls
• Different people and families

Key stage 2

• E-safety - where to go and what to trust
• Who to speak to about concerns, who can help us.
• Strangers and unfamiliar people who can we talk to?
• Developing confidence, likes and dislikes
• Similarities and differences in people and groups
• Respecting the choices of others
• Setting personal goals
• Rules and safety, including road safety
• Being safe at school and home incl. equipment
• What makes a good friend
• Staying healthy germs and keeping clean
• Growing up - puberty in context of self

Key Stage 3

• E-Safety - social media and personal data
• Know we have rights, views and opinions; how to respect others and voice ones own.
• Personal appearance, qualities and behaviour and the effect these can have on others
• Debating, reasoning and reflecting on spiritual, social, moral and cultural issues. Developing relationships and respecting differences in others.
• Saying no and personal space
• Understanding we all have rights and the concept of self advocacy.
• Understand rules and laws and what we have them.
• realise the consequences of bullying, racism, homophobia etc. Understand stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination.
• Facing life’s challenges, building resilience and celebrating achievements of self and others.

Key Stage 4

• E-Safety - suing the internet safety, personal data, privacy and how to report concerns.
• Awareness of different views and opinions are represented online and that not all information is factually correct.
• Be aware of digital footprints and our perusal responsibilities online.
• Making informed choices about safety and health; including drugs and medicines - the effects and the law.
• Relationships, sexuality and the human life cycle.
• Dealing with feelings the context of relationships,
• Accepting and celebrating difference, respecting and protecting the characteristics, values and choices of others. Peer pressure and being assertive.
• Identifying feelings of grief and bereavement and how to cope with these.
• Advocacy - taking control of the future; managing transitions.