SMSC

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development

Introduction

At Bromesberrow St. Mary's Church of England Primary School, Christian values are firmly embedded in the daily life of our school. As a Church school, we approach Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development (SMSCD) from a Christian perspective, offering a holistic approach to education.

The Church school offers a spiritual and moral basis for the development of human wholeness and a sure foundation for personal and social values based on the person and ministry of Christ. A distinctive language is provided for the understanding of life and interpreting human experience. As a community of faith, the Church School should, in its best expression, reflect the nature of the Trinity, a life shared and defined by reference to others. Here we can begin to discover who we are, why we are, and perhaps most importantly  what we might be.

The Way Ahead, Chapter 3 para 3.26

What is SMSCD?

SMSCD is about developing the whole child through:

• Spiritual
• Moral
• Social and
• Cultural activities

in an environment which enables all children to grow and flourish, become confident individuals and appreciate their own worth and that of others.

Our school promotes Christian fellowship and a caring and compassionate community, where pupils are able to reflect upon a world filled with awe and wonder.

Spiritual Development - 'This language of spirituality begins from the Christian understanding that everyone is a valued creation, individually and uniquely made by God, like pots made by a potter (Isaiah 64:8). Yet in life things happen that impact on the physical ‘pot’ of life and create cracks that provide a glimpse of ‘something’ beyond the tangible.' - Diocese of Gloucester. 

Spirituality Statement

'We take joy in the wows, we work through our ows and make time for the nows.'.

Moral Development - 

• 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.

Social Development - 

• use 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.

Cultural Development - 

• understand and appreciate the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
• understand and appreciate 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.

See our SMSCD policy and Spirituality progression document for further information. 

British Values Statement

At Bromesberrow St. Mary's we value and respect different cultures, religions and beliefs. We celebrate and share diversity as a school, and our school curriculum provides a wealth of opportunity to explore this further in different contexts. Here is a sample of what we teach in relation to promoting British Values:

• We have collective worship assemblies which celebrate and commemorate key events in British history, which helps children to gain a strong understanding of how life in modern Britain came to exist e.g. the World Wars.
• Collective Worship is planned to engage children in life in modern Britain, exploring current affairs and issues to engender children's curiosity and courage to 'have a voice' e.g. microplastics in the ocean
• We have invested in a range of quality diverse texts, to provide a window and mirror to the world, so that children see themselves authentically represented and see cultures and beliefs they may not have the opportunity to encounter
• We ensure visits and visitors reflect the diversity of life in modern Britain e.g. storyteller who shared a range of stories from different cultures and visits to ThinkTank Birmingham and Young Voices (both of which provided an experience of a more diverse society beyond a small village community)
• Learning about significant figures through Science and how these have shaped life in modern Britain  e.g. Florence Nightingale and the nurses in Scutari and Isaac Newton's discoveries
• Learning about the significance of the Queens Jubilee.
• Children have been to the local museums to find out about significant local people
• In PSHE we explicitly learn about democracy; gaining an understanding the the history of democracy in society and how this has shaped life in modern Britain
• As a school, we paid our respects to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and celebrated the coronation of King Charles III
• In history, learning about the suffrage movement, Martin Luther King and Walter Tull (showing the diversity of society in history and how this has helped to shape life in Modern Britain).
• Celebrating the schools 150th year, collaborating with local business and Bromesberrow Estate (seeking support from the local Albright Trust)

The Rule of Law:

Pupils are helped to learn to manage their behaviour and take responsibility for their actions. We involve pupils in setting rules of behaviour e.g. behaviour in their classroom and Worship; helping pupils to make decisions and choices that are acceptable to the school community and society at large. We support children in understanding that everyone has a responsibility and that there are consequences when rules are broken. They recognise that whilst we have rules at school, other rules and laws exist in the country for the same reasons. Staff are committed to providing a consistent and safe environment within the setting. Visits from authorities such as the Local Authority Services, Police and Fire Service are encouraged.

Individual Liberty:

Pupils are encouraged to become good and valued citizens. We do this by supporting each pupil to become as independent as possible and encourage them to help and support each other (3B4Me). We endeavour to demonstrate that everyone has rights; this includes the right to say 'Yes' or 'No' to ideas or activities.

Mutual Respect:

One of our 6 core school values is respect. This was chosen by all stakeholders as an essential value for 'getting on' in the world. Respect is unpicked and explored in Collective Worship and class; the children are shown examples of this and are encouraged to be reflective and responsive to this in practice.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:

We are a Christian school, who as part of our ethos are tolerant and respectful of different faiths and beliefs. Within our RE syllabus and throughout our curriculum the children are provided with learning opportunities around others.