BRITISH VALUES

Our commitment

Farm Club openly commits to abiding by British Values in every respect of our admission, induction and day-to-day processes. We understand the importance of promoting these values within our multicultural society, encouraging those we work with to maintain these fundamentals through their lives.

According to OFSTED, ‘Fundamental British Values’ are:

Democracy
The rule of the law
Individual liberty
Mutual respect
Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith

Farm Club encourages admissions, in line with British Law, to all qualifying students, regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status.

The first value

Democracy

Farm Club has been curated to enable students to have a voice and contribute to the running of the farm. Adults listen to children, children listen to adults. Children are encouraged and supported to listen and learn from one another too, enabling them to work together and negotiate ways of working that consider everyone’s needs and opinions. All opinions are respected, input is welcomed and voices are encouraged to create a true sense of community. The communal table of delicious home-cooked food at Farm Club is extremely important - this is where discussions are had, concerns are raised, conversations are nurtured and output can occur. Children are encouraged to take accountability for their learning by being offered a variety of opportunities from the farm environment. We offer life skills, understanding where food comes from and food groups, what constitutes healthy living, how to cook from scratch using fresh produce and how to care for the animals which provides both educational and therapeutic benefits.

The second value

The rule of the law

We role model behaviours we’d like to see in our students, showing them kindness, patience, good manners, consideration and compassion towards both other people and animals. These behaviours are central to progression and co-regulation. Our code of conduct at the farm focuses on safety, following instruction and maintaining hygiene. The rules are clear and they apply to all. The rules are in place to ensure safety at all times for animals, children and staff and enables us to all work together cohesively. Consequences are made clear should these rules, or ‘laws’ of Farm Club be breached.

The third value

Individual liberty

The freedom to make choices and decisions is important around farm-based activities. If a student loves to be around animals, they are encouraged to spend lots of time with them during their education at Farm Club. If their preference is to cook, time is spent ensuring they learn this skill and the ability to share it with others. Students are incentivised to make good choices and are praised and recognised for their good choice making. It’s important at Farm Club that students take on more responsibility as their confidence grows, supporting one another in their learning journeys. The use of initiative is wholeheartedly supported at Farm Club and it’s important that staff recognise the importance of this. Initiative at Farm Club often comes in the form of suggesting activities - collecting eggs, washing the dogs, meal ideas, sports games etc. Through allowing this initiative and intuitive thinking we are building the positive self confidence, self esteem and self worth of our students.

The fourth value

Mutual respect

Demonstrating impeccable manners is paramount at Farm Club. The aim is that everyone that walks through the gate is welcome and at home with an instant feeling of belonging and acceptance. Great communication starts and ends each day at the farm, allowing us time to set objectives and assess progress. We’re also able to lay out some expectations of the day with the students as sometimes shocks of the unknown are unnerving and can unsettle an entire session. When this is avoidable, it makes sense to prevent it from happening. It also means that the students ‘need’ to be disrespectful to others is diminished, taking away the fight or flight conundrum. The community within the farm promotes praise and celebration of successes for both oneself and others. This support upholds an environment where mutual respect is demonstrated in all of our interactions with each other. The five animal freedoms also feed into mutual respect as caring for and respecting animals is essential at Farm Club. We take produce from our animals; the way we treat, care for and respect our animals has a direct impact on the produce we take from them.

The fifth value

Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

Staff and students work alongside others of varying ages, learning abilities and needs. Everyone is expected to treat others with respect and kindness from the offset. Friendships and working relationships that are formed are all about respecting boundaries, individual differences, skills, setbacks, challenges and talents. Tolerance, acceptance and understanding in a non-judgemental environment allows everyone to feel welcomed and nurtures an environment where anybody can blossom. Farm Club does not just tolerate different faiths but supports and celebrates faith, culture, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, age and ability differences.