Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development

SMSC is embedded into our vision, ethos and values of our school. It is woven into all areas of the curriculum and plays a pivotal role in ensuring that our young people are confident and responsible citizens.

Through our values of Hope, Compassion and Endurance we aim to develop students SMSC and we see it as central to the development and growth of all our students. By promoting spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, we aim to help students develop a sense of identity and purpose, as well as an awareness of their place in society. This, in turn, can help to promote social cohesion and understanding, as well as contributing to the overall well-being and happiness of students.

Students will be able to develop their SMSC awareness and show their learning through:

Spiritual development: 

• 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:

• Ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and to readily apply this understanding in their own lives, and to 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: 

• 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 settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
• Acceptance of 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 will develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain

Cultural development:

• 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 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, respect and celebrate diversity. This is shown by their respect and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities

By integrating SMSC into various aspects of school life including Personal Development, Ethos, Collective Worship, PHSE lessons, extra-curricular, the house system and  ambassador programme students can develop a well-rounded understanding of themselves and the world around them. Click here for more details.