SMSC and British Values

British values are embedded in the work of the school and they are defined as:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) is about developing the whole person.  As our pupils move through the school, we are committed to developing not only their academic standards and level of achievement, but also their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.  We aim to provide opportunities for our children to form their own identity; sense of place and purpose, giving them the confidence to question and discover who they are in the world and face the exciting challenges that lie ahead..

We offer a variety of ways we help our children with their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, including developing British Values.

What is SMSC?

SMSC is spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. As our pupils grow and progress through school we are committed to ensure that they achieve their full potential academically but also understand the importance of progressing spiritually, morally, culturally and socially in order to be prepared for life in modern Britain and so that they can develop as a whole child.

Spiritual

• Children are given opportunity to explore and appreciate values and beliefs, including those of other religions.
• Children are given opportunity to understand human feelings and emotions, the effects of them and the importance of understanding them.
• We encourage all our children to expand on learning by asking open ended questions and using the Blooms Taxonomy.

Moral

• We have a clear moral code which is consistent through school.
• We promote measures to prevent discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age and other criteria through assemblies and our engaging curriculum.
• We encourage children to take responsibility for their actions through our behaviour policy and restorative practice.

Social

• We foster a sense of community with common inclusive values that ensure that everyone, irrespective of ethnic origin, nationality, gender, ability, sexual orientation and religion feel safe and happy in order to reach their full potential.
• Our assemblies focus on topics to embolden children to develop personal qualities for example respect, kindness, forgiveness.
• We provide a conceptual and linguistic framework within which to understand and debate social issues.
• Our child-led, Learning Challenge Curriculum encourages pupils to work together co-operatively and teaches resilience and teamwork skills.
• Our curriculum is centred around creativity allowing children to learn collaboratively through the arts and our forest schools area.

Cultural

• We provide opportunities for pupils to explore their own cultural assumptions and values
• We present authentic accounts of the attitudes, values and traditions of diverse cultures.
• We extend pupils’ knowledge and use of cultural image and language recognising and nurturing particular gifts and talents through our exciting sports opportunities and extra-curricular activities.

SMSC runs through all aspects of the teaching and learning and is the foundation of our whole school ethos. The school newsletter, facebook page and website further show SMSC in action.