Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education

At Newchurch Community Primary 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, 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.

At Newchurch, we aim to ensure;

  • 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 

All curriculum areas have a contribution to the child's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Many 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
  • Experiencing good role models
  • Take turns and share equipment
  • Work co-operatively and collaboratively

All adults model and promote the expected behaviour, treating all people as valuable individuals and showing respect for pupils and their families. Children learn to differentiate between right and wrong in as far as their actions affect other people.  They are encouraged to value themselves and others.

Through our PSHE curriculum, the children understand their rights and responsibilities and the need to respect the rights of others. School and classroom rules promote responsible behaviour and reflect our core values. All curriculum areas seek to use illustrations and examples drawn from as wide a range of cultural contexts as possible. This is reflected in the teachers' planning and learning resources.

Through classroom discussions we will give the children opportunities to:

  •          Share their achievements and successes with other
  •          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
  •          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

  •          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

 

Moral Development

  •          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

 

Social Development

  • Develop an understanding of their individual and group identity
  • Helping others in the school and wider community
  • Developing a wide range of cooperative learning structures within the context of classroom practices

 

Cultural Development

  • Recognise the value and richness of cultural diversity in Modern Britain through the work linked to British Values and the RE Curriculum
  • Develop an understanding of Modern Britain's local, national, European, Commonwealth and global dimensions – linking in with our Global Learning themes

Some examples of how we actively promote SMSC at Newchurch include:

  • Involvement and engagement in our School Council
  • Working together in different groupings and situations
  • Encouraging the children to behave appropriately at meal times
  • Taking responsibility e.g. School Council, Wellbeing Ambassadors, Junior Safety Officers, Eco Council, Sports Leaders, Safeguarding Crew,  delivering messages and looking after younger children during Buddy Afternoons.
  • Encouraging teamwork in PE and games
  • Showing appreciation of the performances of other children regardless of ability
  • Hearing music from different composers, cultures and genres
  • Meeting people from different cultures and countries
  • Participation in a variety of different educational visits
  • Participation in live performances
  • Use of assembly themes to explore important aspects of our heritage and other cultures e.g. festival days, the patron saints and national celebrations
  • Studying literature and art from different cultures supported by visits from 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
  • Studying the contributions to society that certain famous people have made.

Links with the wider community

  • A wide range of visitors are welcomed into our school to support the development of the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding
  • Links with the local church are fostered and visits to places of religious worship linked to the RE Curriculum
  • The school supports the work of a variety of charities e.g. Warrington Foodbank, Comic Relief, Unicef etc
  • The school also responds to global tragedies
  • The development of a strong home-school agreement 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. modern foreign languages, creative and expressive arts, PE and games.