SMSC Statement
At Calow Church of England (VC) Primary School, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is interwoven across the curriculum. Although some aspects may be taught discretely, it is seen as being encompassed in different ways through the subjects taught, Collective Worships, activities carried out and the ethos and values of the school. Our ‘SHINE’ values help the whole school community to think about the kind of people we aspire to be with the values of Show respect; Honesty and kindness; Include others; Never give up and Enthusiastic learners at the heart of school life.
The foundations of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are laid at home with the school programme for promoting SMSC development complementing, supporting and enhancing this whilst the children are part of our school community and beyond. We ‘Show our SHINE everywhere’.
What is SMSC?
Spiritual development of pupils is shown by their:
- ability to be reflective about their own beliefs (religious or otherwise) and perspective on life
- knowledge of, 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.
Moral development of pupils is shown by their:
- ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and to readily apply this understanding in their own lives, recognise legal boundaries and, in doing so, 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 ability to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues.
Social development of pupils is shown by their:
- use of a range of social skills in different contexts, for example working and socialising with other pupils, including those from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
- willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social setting, 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; they develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.
Cultural development of pupils is show 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 culture in the school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
- ability to recognise, and value, the things we share in common across cultural, religious, ethnic and socio-economic communities
- 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, musical, 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 and respect diversity. This is shown by their respect and attitudes towards different religious. Ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities.
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development is the overarching umbrella that encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum.
(Taken from the Ofsted School Inspection Handbook 2019.)
Our curriculum is under constant review so that we can take into account our rapidly changing world and ensure that a wide range of learning opportunities for SMSC, citizenship and British Values are included within each subject within the curriculum. See below for our subject statements.
Each year a range of activities take place that complement and enhance our SMSC teaching. Examples of these include Harvest Festival, Remembrance Day, Celebration Assemblies, Christmas plays, Local Democracy – voting and taking part in School Council, Eco Committee Work, Playground Pals, themed days and weeks (such as World Book Day, Sports Day, Safer Internet Day, R.E. Day and Mental Health Day and Anti-bullying week), Grandparents’ Sessions for intergenerational collaboration, whole school visits, residential visits, a range of clubs, PTFA events, school and community competitions and events, special lunches such as Mothering Sunday and Fathers’ Day, charity events, creation and performance of a school song, visits from the police, fire service etc., visitors taking Collective Worships / assemblies (eg. MAST, Dogs’ Trust, Severn Trent), Sports Day, Arts events, celebration of a range of cultural days.
Calow Church of England (VC) Primary School also ensures that children are taught a consistent ‘Conduct Curriculum’ across the school and achievements are celebrated with our daily class SHINE Awards, weekly Celebration assemblies and monthly Headteacher’s Awards. Children are also in one of four Houses (Earth, Air, Fire and Water) across the age range in school to encourage working together and support each other in a different way. They are individually rewarded with House points which are then combined to earn House rewards.
Subject Statements