British Values Booklist
Since November 2014, the DfE and Ofsted are asking schools to demonstrate that they are promoting British Values, specifically the values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. We recommend some key books for your classrooms that help to promote these values.
This is a collection of poetry from the performance poet Benjamin Zephaniah. The poems celebrate the diversity of British society by portraying different British children in their home environments. The children featured in We Are Britain! are from a range of backgrounds and cultures and it shows that despite their differences, the children have many similar preoccupations whatever their cultural background.
This book uses photographs and detailed personal accounts to offer insights into different faiths as experienced by children. A Faith Like Mine is a helpful book for learning about how different faiths may look in a diverse selection of children’s lives.
This is a powerful picture book suitable for upper KS2. When the inhabitants of an island discover a naked man and his tattered raft washed up on their beach, they are reluctant to take him in because he seems so vastly different. The islanders refuse to give the man a job or treat him as their equal. As their fear and hatred grow and grow, the islanders eventually send the man to death, opting to turn their island into a stark fortress where strangers are not accepted. The Island is a captivating story that serves as a good starting point for discussions about prejudice and how a society can be shaped by the way it deals with people who have physical, spiritual or cultural differences.
Two Monsters, a fun picture book by the creator of Not Now Bernard, is an important story about learning to respect other people’s viewpoints. Two monsters that live on either side of a mountain can hear each other but not see each other. One day they argue about whether day is departing or night is arriving. As their argument gets out of hand, they throw rocks and destroy their mountain until finally they are able to respect each other’s point of view and live peacefully together.
Mr Creep the Crook and his family are criminals. Even his dog Growler is bad. When he escapes from jail and heads to the seaside, Mr Creep finds out that breaking the law is not such a good idea after all. This is part of the Happy Families series, which remains very popular with KS1. We also recommend Cops and Robbers and Burglar Bill by the same author.
This is an award-winning book that has proved to be a big hit with lower KS2. When Atticus, the world’s greatest cat burglar, receives an intriguing message inviting him to a meeting, he packs his bags and sets off. The writer of the mysterious message turns out to be Jimmy the Magpie, infamous leader of a criminal gang. Jimmy challenges Atticus to steal every jewel in town, a criminal act that will leave the humans completely baffled. But when Atticus moves in with a police inspector’s family, he starts to wonder whether a life of crime is really for him. Exciting, fast-paced and full of humour, Atticus Claw Breaks the Law is a great story to read aloud at story time.
This is an inspiring picture book by Chris Riddell, former Children’s Laureate. It contains drawings that encapsulate the freedoms and liberties people enjoy every day in Britain, but often take for granted. Each freedom is taken from the Human Rights Act and simplified as: life, protection, freedom, safety, fairness, justice, family, belief, thought, togetherness, love, solidarity, ownership, knowledge, hope and mercy. My Little Book of Big Freedoms is an excellent stimulus for the whole primary age range to reflect on the everyday liberties and protections that we often take for granted.
This is a popular picture book with a message about the right to follow individual choices even when it means opting to be different from others. Biff is not like ordinary dogs. Instead of chasing sticks and scratching his fleas, Biff likes moonlight, music and walking on tiptoes. Biff does not see himself as a dog but as a ballerina. Can he follow his dreams despite the way others see him? Dogs Don’t Do Ballet is an important story about allowing ourselves and others the freedom to express individual liberty.
From the hugely popular David Walliams, Mr Stink is a funny and thought-provoking story about giving individuals the chance to show you who they are without prejudging them. Chloe befriends Mr Stink, a local tramp with a bad smell and a big appetite for sausages. But when it looks as though Mr Stink might be driven out of town, Chloe decides to hide him in the garden shed. As she gets to know Mr Stink, Chloe discovers that there can sometimes be a lot more to people than first meets the eye and that there are ways that individuals can use their own personal freedoms and resources in order to help others.
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Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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