How to promote British values across your school

Get tips on how best to embed British values into your school and find out how Ofsted inspects this. Download our list of questions to help you review your current approach.

Updated
on 13 May 2026
See updates
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 11221
Contents
  1. Your requirements
  2. How Ofsted will inspect this 
  3. Review what you’re doing
  4. Make British values part of your culture, ethos and vision

Your requirements

All schools are expected to provide opportunities for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of their pupils.

As part of this, you should promote “fundamental British values”. The DfE defines these values as:

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

These are explained in more detail in the DfE’s non-statutory guidance on promoting fundamental British values.

Extra requirements apply to independent schools 

As well as the expectations outlined above, independent schools must also: 

  • Prevent the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school
  • Take steps to ensure that, where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils, the pupils are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views

This is set out in the Independent School Standards.

Ofsted will inspect your teaching of British values under the personal development