Promoting British values: school/trust duties

Read a summary of your school/trust's duty to actively promote British values and find examples from other schools.

Updated
on 19 March 2024
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School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 5105
Contents
  1. Stay strategic
  2. Your school/trust's duties
  3. How your school can promote British values
  4. Your responsibilities
  5. Examples of practice in schools 

Stay strategic

Remember, your role is to oversee how your school/trust delivers on its duties, not to get involved with what this looks like day to day. If you're looking for a more in-depth summary of your board's duties see how to monitor the promotion of British values.

Your school/trust's duties

Schools and trusts are required to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of their pupils. As part of this, your school or trust's culture must actively promote the fundamental British values of:

  • Democracy
  • The rule of law
  • Individual liberty
  • Mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Please note: this is now a 'must' in the new governance guides, whereas previously it was a 'should' in the withdrawn Governance Handbook.

Find more information in the