Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural

Aim

We aim to promote Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development (SMSCD) both implicitly and explicitly by acting as excellent role models and providing a rich environment whereby pupils learn:-

to value themselves
to value relationships
to value School/Community and wider Society
to value the environment, God’s World

Definitions of SMSCD

Spiritual development is when we:

Explore beliefs and experience; respect faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect.

Moral development is when we:

Recognize right and wrong; respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views.

Social development is when we:

Use a range of social skills; participate in the local community; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict; engage with the ‘British values’ of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance.

Cultural development is when we:

Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain’s parliamentary system; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity. (Ofsted)

Spiritual Development

At Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School pupils will be provided with opportunities to develop their spiritual understanding by experiencing a curriculum which will:

Develop their self-esteem, self-knowledge and belief in themselves.
Allow them to develop a range of personal values and beliefs based on a sense of curiosity and respect towards their own and other beliefs.
Explore the spiritual values of others through stories, drama, music, art and religious education.
Allow them to express themselves in a variety of ways and give them time to reflect on their own experiences.
Allow them to understand, express, use and control feelings and emotions as well as encouraging empathy in terms of relationships with others.
Acquiring an understanding of themselves and their responses to fundamental questions including questions about God and the meaning and purpose of life.
Reflecting on and celebrating the earth and universe as sources of sustenance, inspiration and challenge to human creativity.

In Practice

At Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School this is delivered through:

Our Religious Education syllabus (The Diocese of Durham and Newcastle) develops pupils’ self-esteem and knowledge and an ability to reflect on and develop individuals’ own spiritual values and understand the wider world around them.
A reflective approach to learning through formative assessment techniques where pupils develop a responsibility and understanding for their own learning. For example through R.E. planning sheets (KWL) next steps and pupil voice questionnaires.
Providing pupils the opportunity to have quiet and reflective areas for example: reflection areas worry boxes, prayer spaces and Religious Education displays in each classroom which reflect pupils’ own feelings and beliefs.
Monitoring activities where pupils participate in wonder walks, pupil voice questionnaires and Reverend Simon White monitors our own Worship practices.
Weekly opportunities to participate in Bible club led by the Mustard Tree Group, all are welcome to attend.
A PSHE programme (Jigsaw) which promotes social and emotional literacy in children and equips them with the skills they need to lead a healthy and happy life.
A timetable of carefully planned discussions and activities for Worship that cover our Christian values, British values and explore faith and beliefs around the world.
As part of our Worship, every Tuesday we have guest speakers from the Church community and some of our own parents too.
A focus on our Christian Values throughout our curriculum and everyday lives.
Thinking Skills and Philosophy for Children sessions encourage pupils to ask questions and explore their own and others’ beliefs.
Educational school trips, partnerships with parents, curriculum days/ weeks and visiting speakers from a range of professions, backgrounds and beliefs. For example, Year 4 participate in Life Path at Brinkburn Priory which is a ‘…springboard to encourage all of those who attend to reflect on their own life path’.
We also provide students with a range of experiences, which promote a sense of awe and wonder about the world.
A rewards system developing pupils’ self-esteem through certificates, thinking skills stickers and awards at all levels.
A focus on the Characteristics of Effective Learning that focuses on the holistic child and achievements at home as well as school.
Displays of work produced by the pupils develop a sense of pride and express the talents of the individual.
The use of School Council (Mrs. Jennings) and the Sports Council (Miss Kennedy) to involve students in the life of the school, make decisions, make links with members of the community and raise money for school.

Moral Development

At Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School we strongly believe that, ‘Every child growing up in the UK should have the chance to learn about the world around them, the facts of poverty and underdevelopment, and about the potential to build a freer and more prosperous world.’ (Ofsted 2016). Therefore we aim for all pupils to be:

Kind, considerate and helpful to others
To be respectful to others and their property.
To be committed to school and classroom rules.
To be responsible members of the school, local, national and global community.
To understand and respect the rule of law.
Committed to be part of a healthy, safe and secure school.
To demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning.
To understand their responsibility to promote well-being for all.
To be equipped with the skills necessary to play an active part in society and become a morally responsible. Citizen of the world.

In practice

At Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School this will be delivered through:

Clear models of positive behaviour from staff and pupils which are reinforced throughout the school day. For example, Playground Buddies, Anti-Bullying week, the PSHE curriculum, Thinking Skills and Philosophy for Children activities, worry boxes and Star of the Week.
An anti-bullying policy and ethos which places the emphasis on preventative and responsive strategies that support all those involved.
Worship themes that focus on moral issues, developed and reinforced during whole class discussions.
Fund raising activities for nominated charities, in addition to national charity events which give rise to discussions about morality.
The use of pupils in teams across the school: School Council, Sports Council, Playground Buddies and pupil voice questionnaires completed by the Headteacher which focus on a range of moral issues.
Supervised and filtered access to the internet together with regular worships focused on the dangers of the internet and related issues. E-Safety Day, discussions throughout Friendship Week and in planned discussions in computing lessons.
Local, national and global incidents, in addition to existing programmes of study, give an opportunity for teaching about morality and behaviour.

Social Development

‘British Values’ was explicitly added to the Social Development strand of SMSC in 2014. Therefore a vital part of the Social Development of our pupils is:

‘…the 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.’ (Ofsted).

We also recognize that Social Development involves learning the values, knowledge and skills that enable children to relate to others effectively and so through our Christian values we emphasize the importance of forgiveness, reconciliation, friendship, love, peace and respect.

Objectives

Pupils will be encouraged to:

Maintain and develop relationships within the school, working successfully with their peers and adults in the school community.
Respond to the opportunities being offered, to show initiative and to take responsibility for their own learning in the school community.
Gain an understanding of the wider society through their family and carers, the school, local and wider communities.
Actively participate in the school community and beyond into the wider community outside of school.
To work successfully as part of a group or team.
Share views and opinions with others and resolve differences maturely and appropriately.
Show respect for people, living things, property and the environment.
Reflect on their own contribution to society and they can support other communities.
Understand how societies function and are organized in such structures as the family and school.
To allow pupils to engage in the democratic process, through school elections and the opportunities to exercise leadership and responsibilities.
To understand, discuss and recognize the importance of the Christian values in their own lives.

In Practice

At Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School we provide opportunities for pupils to:

Interact with all staff in school and with external partners of the school. For example through Science and Engineering Week, Math’s Day, World Book Day,, Christian Aid, Local Food Bank, Children in Need, Comic Relief, Sanderson Arcade, Sports Coach
The use of pupils in teams across the school: School Council, Sports Council, HA sports group, Playground Buddies and pupil voice discussions.
Elected school council representative feedback views, ideas and concerns to their tutor groups and to Mrs. Jennings.
Extra-curricular clubs and groups to support all pupils: Calm Colouring Club, Library, Homework Club, Lego Club, Nurture Group.
As part of the PE funding all pupils have the opportunity to participate in intra and inter school sports and can compete at county level.
Pupils are rewarded and earn points towards achieving Social Development targets, which are set using pupil voice questionnaires.
Pupils are supported and encouraged to have a positive impact on society through activities and events: fundraising and researching the work charities do in school and the community.
Each lunchtime, supervisors run sporting clubs to foster positive relationships and develop team games.
Outdoor Education (Coordinator Mrs. Roberts) provides pupils time to develop their self esteem, self confidence, teamwork and positive attitude to problem solving.
The Characteristics of Effective Learning are used throughout school to scaffold pupils’ holistic development.
Through our curriculum, Worships, displays and British values books we discuss and debate our own fundamental values as a British citizen, but also our important role as a global citizen. For example, through Remembrance Day, exploring what is right and wrong, democratically voting for our school councils and exploring local, national and global issues as they arise.

Cultural Development

We believe that every child at Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School should have ‘…the chance to learn about the world around them, the facts of poverty and underdevelopment and about the potential to build a freer and more prosperous world (Ofsted). We aim to develop pupils’ understanding of the beliefs and traditions of other cultural groups

Objectives

The students will be encouraged to:

Appreciate, understand and respect aspects of their own and other cultural environments in terms of beliefs, values, attitudes, customs, knowledge and skills.
Recognize that similarities and differences may exist between different societies and groups.
Experience a range of cultural activities in terms of literature, music, technology, art and design, dance, drama, sport and other media.
Broaden, develop and enrich their interests and insights through interacting with opportunities the school and the wider community provides.

In Practice

At Morpeth All Saints we provide opportunities for pupils to:

Attend educational trips and actively plan for visitors from other cultures and ways of life to come in and work with our pupils and through visiting local churches.
Attend educational visits to places of interest such as: museums, theatres, places of worship and other educational establishments- in order to better understand other cultures and ways of life.
Explore and celebrate differences between individuals and groups in society; for example, through PSHE, Thinking Skills and Philosophy for Children.
Collective worships provide a themed approach that give rise to many opportunities to explore SMSCD and cultural diversity. Other events are also celebrated with drama, art, dance and presentations along with specific services such as Remembrance, annual carol services and celebrations of Easter and other religious festivals: Divali, Hannukah and Chinese New Year.
Topic work across the school which explores “culture” in all its various forms in relation to specific subject areas is planned and delivered through PlanBee.
Access to the Internet in order to explore cultures and activities through cross-curricular activities.