Inspirational Ideas
This page offers some practical ideas for schools to help develop or expand students' understanding of their school's chosen values.
Creating Teachable Moments
Creating Teachable Moments is a book by Dr Shannon McPherson is written as a guidebook for educators to help secondary school students to become more kind, empathetic and resilient to everyday stress .
For more information or to buy the book:
British Values
Schools in England and Wales are required to teach "British Values". Many schools are concerned with the narrowness of the approach.
Equaliteach is a UK charity providing equality and diversity training and consultancy services. They have created free classroom resources for schools to teach the legally required values within a wider context of Universal Values.
For more information:
"Because Someone Smiled" poetry inspiration
Kelly Green, a specialist health and wellbeing teacher, wrote a charming poem filled with values ideas. Oak Class from Eardisley Primary School took the poem as inspiration to create their own poetry and artwork. Their work filled them with curiosity, ideas and new and fun ways to represent their values.
To download their inspired poem, click here
To download their inspired artwork, click here
To download the author's presentation on values containing the poem, click here
For more information about Kelly's work and the values-related ideas she has for schools:
School Displays
Two Thirds Design helps schools display their values throughout the school. The video offers tips about why values displays are so impactful and how to make the displays more effective
Ideas from Two Thirds Design
Brain Breaks
The video introduces the idea of Brain Breaks for students. It is a useful technique for students who are over-excited and where the class would learn more effectively in a calmer environment.
The Values Library
In this short video, Bridget Knight, CEO of VbE, shares an idea sent to us by a VbE headteacher Joseph Piatczanyn about building up a themed values-based library that links to the school's chosen values
The VbE Legacy Book
In this video, teachers from Madley Primary school, a Quality Mark VbE school, share their ideas about a VbE Legacy book. It helps schools and students to identify the values legacy they have on the school through students thoughts and reflections. It helps them look back on their values journey throughout their time at school.
Pupils' Parliament
Hugh Evans presents the workings and achievements of Pupils' Parliaments. The presentation explains what they are, how they are so impactful and how school's can create their own Pupils' Parliament. They give students a voice about the school's activities and offers experiences and skills that will help students throughout their lives.
Developing Values through Outdoor Play
Sarah Watkins, a teacher at the VbE school Ledbury Primary, presents a workshop based on her school's experience with using outdoor play that nurture and develop students' engagement with and understanding of values.
Values Emojis
Long Crendon Primary School has created a set of nine values emojis. They are freely available below.
To download the full set, click here
To download the Long Crendon values, click here
Musical Cares
Musical Cares is a VbE-inspired project to encourage students to visit care and old-people's homes.
We have created all the resources schools need to visit residential homes, including risk assessment forms. Key to the project is a series of sing-along videos created by the musician Tom Seals to help break the initial ice between students and residents.
For more details, click here