British Values Statement
British Values: More than just thinking about the royal family, cups of tea and fish and chips!
Children are encouraged to look outwards, to those around them who face challenges, and to act as the hands and feet of Jesus in ways which can bring change and can improve challenging situations. Our school is particularly proud of the open and courageous way, inspired by our school leadership, which our children advocate for equality of love and relationships. We actively and passionately advocate tackling racism with direct teaching and explicit activities and discussion. Our children can courageously articulate how our actions can bring light and hope to people facing difficulties or prejudices.
We teach our children about British values throughout the school year, taking advantage of events in the news and our curriculum to help them become modern citizens. The DfE has reinforced the need ’to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs’
At High Coniscliffe CE Primary school we have reflected on what ‘British Values’ means to us and agree that our mission statement and ethos encompasses and promotes all that is expected and to which we aspire everyday. We want our school community to be proud of, and value, where they come from and have a shared understanding of what it means to live and learn in Britain. We seek to nurture this in all we do and ensure that we actively promote mutual respect and value of every person. We believe our Christian mission leads us to understand British Values alongside our Christian Values:
- Democracy
- Rule of Law
- Individual Liberty
- Mutual respect and tolerance
- Compassion
- Forgiveness
- Hope
- Thankfulness
- Wisdom
- Trust
We endeavour to provide a rich curriculum and learning opportunities to enable all pupils to better understand and live according to the values of our nation and, therefore, contribute to our society and the world community as a whole. Moreover, in our caring, Christian community, we seek to nurture the spiritual and moral self in every individual, so that they can fulfil their true potential, valuing themselves and others, in all they do. Through prayer, school rules, worship, work, and play, we build upon our welcoming Christian ethos, promoting a culture of respect and love for people, from all backgrounds.
We do this by:
- Having a coherent set of school rules, which are referred to consistently throughout school in all activities, with a clear consequence and reward system
- Encouraging pupil to make decisions on a micro (self) and macro (whole class/school) level, not least with regards to behaviour
- Promoting a specific Christian value each term, giving pupils a focus of how to respect themselves and others
- Charitable works, such as fundraising for different charities, chosen by the children, and contributing to national awareness days.
- Education about, and tolerance of, our own faith, and the faiths of others, with ‘real’ experiences and opportunities to explore religion and beliefs
- Teaching the children to look after themselves and others through E-Safety, anti-racism and anti-bullying days
- Opportunities to make democratic decisions, such as our School Council members
- Strong links with local PCSOs, police, firefighters, and other key figures in the community
- Celebrating our British Heritage and other local historical events
In this way, through celebration of diversity and promotion of respect for all, we believe our pupils value themselves, others, and the world around them, living out their own Christian vocation, as well as according to the values of principles of our nation.
Our whole school approach very much involves a very close partnership with parents and carers. Children, families and all staff are proud of what it means to be a member of our school community and show this through the following statement, ‘This is how we do it here’.
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We are delighted to share this wonderful news and extend a very warm welcome to Revd Miriam Wakefield.
It was a pleasure to meet Revd Miriam recently and show her around High Coniscliffe CE Primary School. As a Church of England school, we value the close partnership we share with our parish church and are looking forward to working together to support our children, families and the wider community.
Congratulations, Revd Miriam, on your appointment. We wish you every success as you begin this exciting new chapter and look forward to welcoming you back to school very soon.
#onebigfamily #churchschool #community #ICanDoAllThingsThe Bishop of Durham is pleased to announce that Revd Miriam Wakefield, currently Curate of St Mary and St Cuthbert Parish Church, Chester-le-Street. has been appointed as Vicar of All Saints' Church, Blackwell, Darlington and Salutation and Coniscliffe in Plurality. The Institution and Induction will be held on 16 August 2026. Please hold Miriam and the benefice in your prayers as they prepare for this new chapter 🎉🙏 ... See MoreSee Less
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🥇 Gold School Games Mark – Three Years Running! 🥇
We are delighted to share that High Coniscliffe CE Primary School has once again been awarded the Gold School Games Mark for 2025/2026!
This is the third consecutive year that we have achieved this prestigious national award, recognising our commitment to providing high-quality PE, school sport and physical activity opportunities for every child.
This achievement reflects the enthusiasm, resilience and determination shown by our pupils, the dedication of our staff, and the fantastic support from our families and wider school community. Whether taking part in competitions, representing the school, leading sporting events or simply embracing an active lifestyle, our children continue to make us incredibly proud.
As a school, our vision is “I can do all things,” and this award is a wonderful reflection of our children living out that vision every day—showing perseverance, confidence and a willingness to challenge themselves to achieve their very best.
A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to this fantastic achievement. Here’s to continuing to inspire a love of sport and physical activity for all.
Well done, Team High Coniscliffe! 💙💛🏅
#GoldSchoolGamesMark #SchoolGames #ActiveSchools #TeamHighConiscliffe #ICanDoAllThings #PrimaryPE #SchoolSport #HighConiscliffeCEPrimary #MelroseLearningTrust ... See MoreSee Less
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A warm welcome to our new Reception children and families joining us in September 2026!
We're so pleased to be welcoming you into our school community.
Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing everything you need to know about your child starting school, including our parent information session and transition events.
We can't wait to see your little learners begin their journey with us ✨ ... See MoreSee Less
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OUR NEW SCHOOL NURSERY FOR 3-4 YEAR OLDS IS OPENING IN SEPTEMBER 2026!
You can register for a place NOW.
We would love to welcome you.
PLEASE SHARE. 💙💚 ... See MoreSee Less
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Our Explorers had a fantastic day at the farm this week!
We started with some fun in the soft play area before heading out to meet the animals. The children loved feeding the lambs and had plenty of opportunities to gently handle some of the smaller animals. We also spent time looking after the bigger animals, and showed off our Science learning by talking about whether the animals were mammals, birds, fish, reptiles or amphibians. We also talked about their diet and whether they were carnivores, herbivores or omnivores!
Outside, the excitement continued with go‑karts and lots of energetic play. One of the highlights was hopping into the farmer’s tractor for a ride on the barrel train.
It was a wonderful day full of hands‑on learning, new experiences, and plenty of adventure. A big thank you to Big Sheep Little Farm for a fantastic day! ... See MoreSee Less
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KS2 had a wonderful day on Tuesday, with Year 4, 5, and 6 pupils given the opportunity to work with Matthew from Go Well. The focus of the day was exploring British values and how these can support us within sport and everyday life.
We discussed the key British values: individual liberty, the rule of law, mutual respect, democracy, and tolerance. We also reflected on how we can take these values into the classroom and apply them in everything we do.
During the day, we explored a range of different sports. The first was Irish road bowling, a traditional Irish sport where players throw a heavy metal ball along a country road, aiming to complete the course in the fewest throws. It required both skill and strategy, and pupils really enjoyed learning something new.
We also looked at the Scottish Highland Games, a traditional celebration of Scottish culture that includes athletic competitions.. Pupils learned about the history of the games and some of the events involved, such as tests of strength and endurance.
It was fantastic to see everyone trying sports they had never participated in before. The pupils showed great enthusiasm, teamwork, and respect throughout the day—well done to all involved! ... See MoreSee Less
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Humpty Dumpty Egg Challenge 🥚
After the terrible incident involving Humpty Dumpty, it was clear that health and safety requirements had not been met and the wall was deemed unsafe. Unfortunately, Mr Dumpty fell from a great height!
Today, Year 5 and 6 were set the challenge of becoming architects to design and build Humpty Dumpty a new, more secure and stable wall. Instead of using bricks and mortar, pupils had to use spaghetti and playdough to construct their designs.
There were some fantastic creations! The big question was: who built the sturdiest wall? Which eggs crashed to the floor, and which teams were left in a scramble?
It was wonderful to see such fantastic teamwork, cooperation, and communication throughout the activity. Everyone showed creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills.
Well done, Year 5 and Year 6! ... See MoreSee Less
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🌟 Half-Term Learning Summary for our Explorers🌟
Here’s a look at what the children in the Explorers Class have been exploring and achieving across the curriculum this half term:
📘 English – Drawing Club Adventures
The children have been diving into The Clangers and The Very Hungry Caterpillar through Drawing Club. They have been:
Using their imaginations to create stories and pictures inspired by the characters
Learning about verbs and exploring verb endings to help develop exciting sentences
Beginning to use richer vocabulary and clearer sentence structure in their writing
🔢 Maths
Reception:
Exploring length and height using lots of practical measuring activities
Learning about time through daily routines and sequencing events
Investigating doubles, using objects and images to build early number fluency
Year 1:
Developing understanding of place value to 50, including counting, partitioning and number patterns
Strengthening skills in addition and subtraction, using different strategies to solve problems
🧪 Science – Animals
Children have been learning to:
Identify and classify different animal groups
Understand what makes animals similar or different
Explore herbivores, carnivores and omnivores, and what animals need to stay healthy
🕰 History – How Have Explorers Changed the World?
This term’s history learning has focused on the explorers Christopher Columbus, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Mary Kingsley and Matthew Henson. We have thought about:
How their journeys helped people learn more about the world
The ways exploration has changed travel, trade, and knowledge today
What we, as explorers, can learn from their expeditions
🙏 RE – What Do Christians Believe God Is Like?
The children have explored:
Christian beliefs about God through well-known parables
Hidden meanings and messages found in these stories
Different types of prayer and why Christians use them
We have had a busy half term, with an exciting trip to the farm and have enjoyed singing our special spring song- Spring Chicken! ... See MoreSee Less
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