Spiritual, Moral Social and Cultural Development Statement
Abbey Primary School
Spiritual Moral Social and Cultural (SMSC) Statement
SMSC is a broad concept, representing the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education of pupils embedded in all aspects of school life. It encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum. SMSC is central to the development and growth of our children as people, making them feel equipped and confident to operate in the wider communities they will encounter throughout their lives.
OFSTED believes that SMSC: ‘requires schools to think about the kind of people we aspire to be, the kind of world we aspire to create, and the kind of education we aspire to provide’.
At Abbey Primary School, SMSC is at the heart of school life, embedded through the school’s core values, the curriculum, extra-curricular learning, assemblies and everyone’s interactions with each other during the school day. SMSC plays a significant part in pupils’ happiness, learning and achievement.
At Abbey Primary School, we pride ourselves on providing a school environment that celebrates our entire community and recognises our differences in a positive way.
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AT ABBEY PRIMARY SCHOOL:
- gives children the opportunity to explore values and beliefs, including religious beliefs, and the way in which they impact on peoples’ lives;
- gives pupils the opportunity to understand human feelings and emotions, the way they impact on people and how an understanding of them can help in managing these;
- develops a climate and belief that enables everyone, including the adults in school, to grow, flourish, respect others and be respected in return;
- accommodates difference and respects the integrity of individuals;
- encourages a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them;
- encourages and develops enjoyment, imagination and creativity in learning.
MORAL DEVELOPMENT AT ABBEY PRIMARY SCHOOL:
- enables children to recognise the difference between right and wrong; 6 ‘Golden Rules’, supported by our school values, make clear the expectations for behaviour which are promoted consistently in all aspects of school life;
- helps pupils to understand the consequences of their behaviour and actions;
- ensures a safe learning environment in which children can express their views and practise moral decision-making;
- promotes positive behaviour, values and expectations;
- models, through the quality of relationships and interactions, respect, responsibility and integrity, as well as fair resolution of conflict.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AT ABBEY PRIMARY SCHOOL:
- engages children with the 'British Values' of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance – aligned closely to Abbey’s own school values and democratic processes.
- means that children are taught to speak and listen to each other; our newly launched ‘Voice 21’ project explicitly teaches children the social skills required in different contexts, for example co-operating, working and socialising effectively with others.
- fosters a sense of community with shared values and positive role models;
- provides positive collective experiences where children learn to collaborate and draw upon their wide range of skills and qualities to contribute to successful outcomes e.g. through assemblies, team activities, residential experiences and school productions;
- helps children to develop the personal qualities which are valued in society, for example, thoughtfulness, honesty, respect for difference, moral principles, independence, inter-dependence and self-respect;
- provides opportunities for children to engage in democratic process and participate in community life e.g. school council, house captain elections and community events.
- helps others through volunteering opportunities, wider community events and raising money for charity;
- provides positive and effective links with the world of work and the wider community.
CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AT ABBEY PRIMARY SCHOOL:
- appreciates and explores a wide range of cultural influences that have shaped our own heritage and that of others;
- values the things we share in common across cultural, religious, ethnic communities;
- promotes racial, religious and other forms of equality;
- recognises and celebrates the different cultures represented in the school and wider community;
- develops children’s courage and willingness to participate in, and respond positively to, artistic, musical, sporting and cultural opportunities.