Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural Education
The ultimate test of SMSC isn’t where it is “delivered”, but on the impact it has on learners.
At The Wordsley School we recognise that the personal development of pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve. We therefore aim to provide an education that provides children with opportunities to explore and develop their own values and beliefs, spiritual awareness, high standards of personal behaviour and personal challenge, a positive caring attitude towards other people, an understanding of their social and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of other cultures.
All curriculum areas contribute to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
All adults model and promote expected behaviour, treating all people as valuable individuals and showing respect for pupils and their families. Children learn to differentiate between right and wrong, how their actions affect other people and taking responsibility for their actions.
Pupils are encouraged to value themselves and others.
Pupils are taught to understand their rights and responsibilities and the need to respect the rights of others. The ethos of the school and classrooms promote high expectations of behaviour. All curriculum areas seek to use illustrations and examples drawn from as wide a range of cultural contexts as possible. This will be reflected in the teachers’ planning and learning resources.
General Aims
We aim to ensure that:
- That everyone connected with the school is aware of our values and principles.
- A consistent approach to the delivery of SMSC issues through the curriculum and the general life of the school.
- That a child’s education is set within the context that is meaningful and appropriate to their age, aptitude and background.
- That children have a good understanding of their responsibilities.
- That we promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
Curriculum areas provide opportunities to
- Listen and talk to each other
- Learn an awareness of treating all as equals, accepting people who are different because of physical and learning difficulties
- Agree and disagree
- Experience good role models
- Take turns and share equipment
- Work co-operatively and collaboratively
Through classroom discussions we will give the children opportunities to
- Build and maintain positive working relationships built on mutual respect.
- Share their achievements and successes with others in a ‘safe’ environment.
- Challenge the pupils to be the best they can and aspire.
- Talk about personal experiences and feelings.
- Express and clarify their own ideas and beliefs.
- Speak about difficult events, e.g. bullying, death etc.
- Explore relationships with friends/family/others.
- Provide reflection time where appropriate.
- Consider the needs and behaviour of others.
- Show empathy.
- Develop self-esteem and a respect for others.
- Develop a sense of belonging.
- Develop the skills and attitudes that enable children to develop socially, morally, spiritually and culturally e.g. empathy, respect, open-mindedness, sensitivity, critical awareness etc.
Spiritual Development
Pupils should have their own space for reflection to nurture their sense of ‘Awe and Wonder’. (Awe and Wonder is the sense of amazement, or wow, or the light bulb moment where someone has an understanding of how this really impacts on them).
Spirituality uses elements such as “empathy” and “faith” in the resources.
Evidence from pupil behaviour
- Respect for, and interest in, different people’s 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.
School should support pupils to
- Sustain their self-esteem in their learning experience.
- Develop their capacity for critical and independent thought.
- Foster their emotional life and express their feelings.
- Experience moments of stillness and reflection.
- Discuss their beliefs, feelings, values and responses to personal experiences.
- Form and maintain worthwhile and satisfying relationships.
- Reflect on, consider and celebrate the wonders and mysteries of life.
Examples
- RE – Year 7: Beliefs about God.
- History: Medieval Britain
- Computer Science: Online Safety
- Pastoral Care: Reflecting on progress from Parents’ Evening.
- Science: Natural selection & genetic modification
- English: War poetry in Year 8
- PE: Fitness
- Music: Reggae Music in Year 8
Moral Development
How pupils make judgements on what is right and wrong.
Morality elements address concepts such as “justice” and “integrity”.
Evidence from pupil behaviour
- Ability to recognise right from wrong and to be able to apply this to their own lives.
- Understanding of the consequences of their actions.
- Interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues.
School should support pupils to
- Recognise the unique value of each individual.
- Listen and respond appropriately to the views of other.
- Gain the confidence to cope with setbacks and learn from mistakes.
- Take initiative and act responsibly with consideration for others.
- Distinguish between right and wrong.
- Show respect for the environment.
- Make informed and independent judgements.
- Take action for justice.
Examples
- Reset.
- Homework Club.
- Assemblies on such topics as: Integrity, Kindness, Tolerance.
- PE: Team sports, such as football and netball.
- Pastoral care: Student of the week, Points for excellent behaviour.
- Geography: Climate change.
- Heads of House: Rewards prefects and Sanctions, Badges through to report cards.
- English: Relationships, Attitudes to infidelity, Sex, Love, Jealousy, Domestic violence, Poetry, Moral dilemmas in fictional texts.
- RE — Year 10: Abortion, Fertility treatment.
- RE — Year 11: Euthanasia, Animal Testing, Genetic engineering.
- Science: Ethics of transplants, cloning, Stem cell research, conservation.
- Computer Science: Copyright and computer misuse acts.
- History and Music: Slavery (Trans-Atlantic) and Blues Music.
- PE: Sport Ed Unit, Health Related Fitness, Taking on the role of an official, sports fixtures.
Social Development
- How pupils relate to one another and the wider world.
- Society resources focus on “community” and “harmony” elements.
Evidence from pupil behaviour
- Working and socialising with pupils from different religions, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
- Willingness to take part in a variety of social settings, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively.
School should support pupils to
- Develop an understanding of their individual and group identity.
- Help others in the school and wider community.
Examples
- Homework Club.
- Children in need/Charity work.
- Cake Sales.
- PE: Sport Ed Unit, Team work.
- Computer Science: Impact of Apps and Digital devices “look up”, Impact of social networks on society.
- Music – Year 8: Samba music.
- Maths: Group work on investigations.
- COPE: Visitors into school, visiting colleges.
- RE — Year 9: Relationships (Divorce, Homosexuality), Roles of men and women.
- RE — Year 10: Religion and the media.
- Key Skills — Year 7: Making sandwiches together, tasting unusual food, Island project, working with pupils and parents, working with pupils and parents and learning for life, Poetry Party, Parents meal together, Trips.
- Science: Participating, Cooperating, Using social skills and developing personal qualities.
- Heads of House: Social, Socialness, House events, Pancake, Charity, Prefects.
- English: Group presentations (Cadbury project, Political parties).
Cultural Development
- How the world around our pupils impacts on them — from popular culture to historic culture and everything in between.
- Culture materials focus on “diversity” and “heritage” elements.
Within curriculum
- Science: Understanding feelings and emotions, IVF – fertility treatments, stem cell research; pedigree analysis; Big Bang Theory; Theory of Evolution.
- Maths: Awe and Wonder of Mathematics.
- English: Shakespeare study — Poetry and language of culture.
- Spanish: Digital Divide topic on the GCSE course.
- Key Skills trips in Year 7.
- PE: Dance and the Sport Ed Unit as well as the variety of sports.
- Music — Year 8: Reggae Music.
- Music — Year 7: RAP music.
- Cross Curricular days at KS3.
Examples
- Working together in different groupings and situations Leadership Awards.
- Extra-curricular timetable.
- GCSE Intervention Sessions and Open Study Sessions.
- Pupil Parliament working to create opportunities for all pupils within school and the local community.
- Regular improvements to the school that are explicit and respond to pupil voice.
- Pupil Interview panel for interviewing applicants.
- Pupil Receptionist Programme.
- Showing appreciation of the performances of other children regardless of ability.
- Taking responsibility e.g. Head Boy and Girl, Senior Prefects, House Captains, House Seniors and looking after younger children.
- Encouraging teamwork in PE and games.
- Hearing music from different composers, cultures and genres.
- Meeting people from different cultures and countries in Cross Curricular days.
- Participation in a variety of different educational visits
- Use of assembly themes to explore important aspects of our heritage and other cultures e.g. Esafety, festival days, Comic Relief and Children in Need and national celebrations.
- Participation in live performances in and out of school.
- Studying literature and art from different cultures supported by visits with writers and artists and participating in workshops.
- Opportunities for the children to hear and see live performances by professional actors, dancers and musicians.
- Opportunities to make and evaluate food from other countries.
- Opportunities in music to learn songs from different cultures and play a range of instruments.
- ESafety CPD for staff and Cyber mentors.
- Studying the contributions to society that certain famous people have made.
SMSC Overview
Links with the wider community
- Visitors are welcomed into our school.
- The school will support the work of a variety of charities.
- The development of a strong home-school relationship is regarded as very important, enabling parents and teachers to work in an effective partnership to support the children.
- Children will be taught to appreciate and take responsibility for their local environment Liaison with other schools to support the curriculum e.g. PE and games.
Monitoring and evaluation
Provision for SMSC is monitored and reviewed on a regular basis.
This achieved by:
- Monitoring of teaching and learning via SLT Monitoring and Department Self-Review Discussions at Governors’ meetings.
- Curriculum audit and review every two years.
- Review of schemes of work in departments — especially in RE and Citizenship
- Behaviour and Conduct Monitoring.
- Feedback from Cross Curricular days.
