SMSC

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education

At Holly Park SMSC is promoted throughout our curriculum in lessons, in competitions, fund raising, assemblies, concerts, shows, trips and visits, visitors to the school etc

Development in SMSC takes place across all curriculum areas, within activities that encourage pupils to recognise the spiritual dimension of their learning, reflect on the significance of what they are learning, and to recognise any challenges that there may be to their own attitude and lifestyle.

Below is a summary of what Spiritual. Moral, Social and Cultural development means for our children.

Spiritual Development

• Children participate in Religious Education where they explore their own religious and spiritual identities, as well as those of their classmates. We invite guest speakers from a variety of faiths and local places of worship
• Children participate in visits to places of worship every year.
• We celebrate significant experiences such as festivals and ensure that children have the opportunity to feel special and valued.
• We create opportunities where children can develop awareness of the world and its capacity to inspire awe and wonder. We have a curriculum which comprises of imaginative learning projects that are creative, flexible, thematic, inspiring and engaging. We encourage children to use imagination and creativity in their learning.
• We plan times for children to take part in opportunities to be quiet and reflective. We give them space for their own thoughts, ideas and concerns.

Evidence of Spiritual Development can be seen in the following activities: 

RE curriculum – enquiry approach, Talk Time, PSHE picture books, short films and pictures, Open questions used in lessons – encourage children to think, Debating, Reflection at end of assembly, Reflection and review at end of lessons, Visits to places of worship, Reception Curriculum Day – Cultural Day, Nursery – Family Day, Rights Respecting assemblies, Books read throughout their time at HP that touch on these issues and lead to discussion, Reading for pleasure, Science investigations, PSHE short films, picture books, pictures, games, drama, etc, History – artefacts, drama, Geography – fieldwork, Forest School, school allotment,  EYFS – caterpillars/butterflies, following children’s interests, seasonal walk, our Holly Park School song, Remembrance day.

Moral Development

• We encourage children to respond appropriately to the needs and feelings of others and to show consideration and kindness to others.
• We create opportunities for children to learn from people who are excellent models of positive behaviour.
• We teach children to communicate in ways that will enable them to form positive relationships and enjoy participating in school and community life.
• We give children opportunities across the curriculum to explore and develop moral concepts and values – for example, personal rights and responsibilities, truth, justice, equality of opportunity, right and wrong.
• We also provide models of moral virtue through literature, humanities, sciences, arts, assemblies and acts of worship.
• We want children to recognise the difference between right and wrong, and respect the civil and criminal law of England.

Evidence of Moral Development can be seen in the following activities: 

Rules: Ready, Respectful, Safe, Restorative approach, Class Charters, Behaviour Chart, Rights Respecting School, Talk Time and bucket, PSHE books, pictures and short films, Exploring morals through stories, lessons and assemblies, British Values lessons on the rule of law, Teach about consent, Child friendly child on child abuse policy, Child friendly anti-bullying policy, Safer Internet days, Anti-bullying week, Wellbeing Week – focus on kindness, RE curriculum, PSHE curriculum – e.g. respectful relationships, Social stories for SEND and EAL pupils, Equality days etc. where they look at the effects of their behaviour on others (discrimination), Debating, Open questions in lessons, Eco council, Healthy Living council, PHSE curriculum (e.g. Fair trade), being a good citizen – charity collections; visiting local food bank, School Travel Plan -thinking about being safe, parking etc

Social Development

• We provide a range of activities which develop children’s social skills and understanding, like how to care for people, living things, property and the environment.
• We teach children to work cooperatively as a member of a group or team, taking turns and sharing within a range of social contexts.
• We create opportunities for children to develop positive relationships with peers and adults, including those who have different needs.
• We teach children to help and support others and to experience being helped by others.
• We teach a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, and with a range of needs and abilities.

Evidence of Social Development can be seen in the following activities: 

Use of group work in lessons, Learning partners, Mini Mentors, Play Leaders, Wellbeing Champions, Y3 Team-building Day, School trips and journeys, PE lessons – teamwork, Forest School, Restorative Approach – resolving conflict effectively, internet Safety Day – online community, Anti-Bullying Week, house group activities, inter school competitions, RE visits to places of worship, Visit to local food bank, School trips and journeys, the Headteacher’s assembly and the celebration assembly celebrate children’s achievements.

 Cultural Development

• We celebrate each other’s cultural identities and teach children to value their own cultural heritage and develop a positive, personal identity, and to show respect for other people’s values and beliefs.
• We want our children to demonstrate an understanding of the range of different cultures within the school “and further afield” as preparation for life in modern Britain.
• We encourage children to participate in, and respond positively to a range of artistic, musical, sporting, mathematical, technological, scientific and cultural opportunities.
• We provide opportunities for children to experience and respond positively to the languages, food, music, artefacts and cultural practices of different and diverse communities present and past.
• We encourage children to show an interest in exploring cultural diversity and show positive responses towards different religions, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities.
• We celebrate our cultural diversity.

Evidence of Cultural Development can be seen in the following activities: 

Assembly topics, Cultural Day – Reception, PSHE books, PSHE curriculum, History – learning about societies from the past and learning from them – Romans, Vikings, Greeks, Egyptians etc, RE curriculum, RE visits to places of worship, Nursery – cooking from different cultures, Nursery – Family Day, Celebrating differences as well as similarities through cultural events such as International Day, International Days, Sports Day, Music Festival, Dance Festival, Shows, Theatre visits, School trips, Internet safety Day, World Book Day, Nrsery rhyme week, Black History Month, Learning Spanish – Reception to Y6, Harvest Festival assembly, Christingle assembly, Nativity, Displays to celebrate religions, Fundraising for local food bank.