SMSC- Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Aspects of Learning:
At its heart, SMSC is about relationships and attitudes.
At The John Hampden School Wendover we begin with the values projected by staff, pupils and governors, the interactions between people and the way they care for one another. This includes the quality of the physical environment, the range of opportunities provided by the school both within the curriculum and beyond it and the relationship developed by the school with the wider community.
Teachers seek to plan learning experiences that have relevance to the children, that will combine the awe and wonder of the world with practical skills to aid them in their daily lives.
Pupils’ spiritual development is shown by their:
• Beliefs, religious or otherwise, which inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s feeling and values
• Sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them, including the intangible
• Use of imagination and creativity in their learning
• Willingness to reflect on their experiences.
Pupils’ moral development in shown by their:
• Ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and their readiness to apply this understanding in their own lives
• Understanding of the consequences of their actions
• Interest in investigating, and offering reasoned views about, moral and ethical issues
Pupils’ social development is shown by their:
• Use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different backgrounds
• Willingness to participate in a variety of social settings, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
• Interest in, and understanding of, the way communities and societies function at a variety of levels.
Pupils’ cultural development is shown by their:
• Understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage
• Willingness to participate in, and respond to artistic, musical, sporting, mathematical, technological and scientific opportunities
• Interest in exploring and respecting cultural diversity and the extent to which they understand, accept and respect diversity, as shown by their attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities.
