Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development (SMSC)

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development at Blair Peach Primary School

At Blair Peach Primary School promoting SMSC is central to the schools ethos and values.  We believe SMSC development is important because we believe that our children are our future.  We need to ensure that we develop the whole child with the skills and attitudes to value themselves and others in the world.

SMSC development at Blair Peach supports the rights and responsibilities of the child and helps children build their own set of personal values. Children learn how to build positive relationships with others in their local and wider environment and become responsible global citizens.

Defining Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural Development

In our school the Ofsted Criteria (September 2014) are used to define what is meant by the four areas of SMSC. We recognise that all four are closely interwoven.

Pupils’ spiritual development is shown by their:

• ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values

• sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them

• use of imagination and creativity in their learning

• willingness to reflect on their experiences.

Pupils’ moral development is shown by their:

• ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England

• understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions

• interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues.

Pupils’ social development is shown by their:

• use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds

• willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively

• acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; the pupils develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

Pupils’ cultural development is shown by their:

• understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others

• understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain

• knowledge of Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain

• willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities

• interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity, and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities

SMSC through our values:

Teaching and Learning: We encourage the children to aim for excellence in all lessons. Responsive planning combined with high quality questioning and assessment for learning  is promoted through many reflective opportunities, such as think/pair/share, talking partners,  thinking time, reflection time in assemblies, time for silences and discussions, mind mapping, written and verbal feedback from adults through marking. We believe that these strategies create space for spiritual learning.

Different Social Contexts: We provide opportunities for our pupils to enhance their social development. Examples of these include class assemblies for parents to share what has been happening in school, residential events, school visits and social events such as discos, fairs

Charities: We support a range of charity projects to open pupils’ eyes to the different lifestyles and problems shared by children all over the world. We participate in Remembrance Week and Comic Relief, Unicef Day of Change always taking care to reinforce the message of celebrating differences and similarities within our local, national and global communities

Special Events:  We organise a wide range of special events, each promoting SMSC. Examples are Healthy Living Workshops, where pupils learnt about healthy lifestyles and healthy choices, Junior Citizen, Rights Respecting  Airport Day, Rights Respecting Languages Day

Pupil Voice: Our school council and class council give pupils an insight in the way communities and societies function. Pupils vote for their class representatives through a democratic process. The council members hold regular meetings to discuss issues raised by pupils and put forward ideas for school improvement. They meet governors and hold lively discussions about the school.

SMSC through the Curriculum at Blair Peach:

English

English contributes to SMSC through a study a variety of high quality poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, and the media, which develops our awareness of moral and social issues, while increasing confidence and expertise in language which is an important aspect of our individual and social identity. We develop confidence and expertise in language as we recognise this as an important aspect of individual and social identity.

Mathematics

Maths contributes to SMSC through raising awareness of the important contribution mathematics makes to our everyday life and that by working together we are able to achieve better results. We explore and acknowledge contribution made to mathematics by different cultures. We study patterns and mathematical relationships using logical reasoning to help us make decisions and choices.

Science

Science contributes to SMSC through encouraging reflection on the wonder of the natural world. By showing an awareness of the way science can affect society and the environment, we show respect for different opinions.  Through practical activities we develop skills of cooperation and team work.

History

History contributes to SMSC by enabling pupils to appreciate and reflect upon the achievements of past societies and the motivation of individuals, recognising that actions have consequences, by considering the results of events and decisions made in history.

Geography

Geography contributes to SMSC development through opportunities to reflect on the diverse nature of our world, thinking about changing landscapes and the environment and developing our awareness of issues surrounding climate change. Studies of people and physical geography gives children the chance to reflect on social and cultural characteristics of society.

Music

Music contributes to SMSC by developing awareness of the power of music by reflecting and expressing our own thoughts and feelings and our willingness to participate and respond to musical and cultural opportunities.

Religious Education

RE contributes to SMSC through fostering an awareness and understanding of a range of beliefs and practises in our community and the wider world. SMSC within RE, helps pupils develop their sense of identity and belonging in an increasingly diverse society.

Computing

Computing contributes to SMSC by preparation for the challenges of living and learning in a technology enriched world, making clear guidelines about the ethical use of the internet.

Art

Art contributes to SMSC by developing our aesthetic appreciation, exploring feelings of awe and wonder. Opportunities to reflect on nature, environment and surroundings are planned for. Through the study of artists, we learn about spiritual and religious themes such as war.

Design Technology

Design Technology contributes to SMSC through reflecting on products and inventions, the diversity of materials. During our investigations, we have opportunities to work as a team, share equipment and recognise each other’s strengths. Awareness of the moral dilemmas created by technological advances and recognition of how different cultures have contributed to technology.

Physical Education

PE contributes to SMSC through activities involving teamwork, cooperation, competition, rules, self-discipline and fair play, we develop the skills of self-reflection, personal awareness and challenge.