Why are British Value important in the Early Years?

• In the Early Years, children are like sponges — they soak up everything, good and bad. That’s why it’s so important to be intentional about what we teach them both directly and indirectly.
• Children are learning quickly, so it’s the perfect time to teach them important values. These values will help them become good members of society in the future. This is why it’s beneficial to begin promoting British values already in the Early Years.
• It might seem odd to focus on this with young children, but there’s a good reason for it. In this article, we’ll dive into those reasons and also, everything your setting needs to know about British values according to the EYFS.
• The Prevent Duty guidance and British values.
• British values are part of the Prevent Duty guidance that all childcare providers and Early Years settings need to follow. The Prevent Duty is about stopping children from being drawn into terrorism, where terrorism is defined as opposing British values. So, promoting and encouraging these values in your setting is a key part of the Prevent strategy.

Here are 4 British Values which we promote in our setting:

1. Democracy

Democracy is where we make decisions together. Like many of the other British values, it’s also about making sure that everyone has equal rights and is treated equally. Each child’s views matter, and it’s important they are given the opportunity to share and collaborate to make decisions together. We promote questioning and making choices as a group: like voting for which story we would like read first from a choice of two.

2. Rule of Law

Rule of law is about understanding that rules matter in our society and are to be followed for a reason. For kids, it’s about helping them understand that actions have consequences and understanding the difference between right and wrong. We have simple and consistent rules within our setting. We work on activities that show cause and effect which we link to behaviours.

3. Individual Liberty

Focuses on freedom for everyone. The main point developmentally is to give children a positive sense of themselves. It’s important to help children boost their self-confidence and self-awareness. This can be done by giving them the right language and context to understand their emotions. Child-Led play and Risky play are central to these. We encourage children to explore their favourite things.

4. Individual Liberty

Create a welcoming environment that embraces all beliefs, cultures, races, and perspectives, while also recognising and celebrating our unique qualities. We encourage children to be aware of similarities and differences. We celebrate a range of cultures and festivals throughout the year. During storytime we read a range of books from different cultures and back grounds.