Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural Education (SMSC) and British Values

At Inglehurst Infant School we aim to provide learning opportunities for children to explore and develop:

• their own values and beliefs
• their own spiritual awareness
• their own high standards of personal behaviour
• a positive, caring and tolerant attitude towards other people
• an understanding of their social and cultural traditions
• an appreciation of the diversity and richness of other cultures.

Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural (SMSC) development and the promotion of fundamental British values, are taught, reflected upon and embedded fully throughout all aspects of school life.  It is the overarching umbrella that encompasses individual personal development, encouraging us to think about the kind of people we aspire to be and the kind of world we aspire to create. It is an essential part of preparing our children to learn and achieve and to live full active lives as part of their community, as well as contributing to the development of society as a whole.

Spiritual development is about the development of a sense of identity, self-worth and appreciation of our uniqueness. It is about the exploration of our own beliefs, values and emotions and respecting those in others. It includes having a sense of awe and wonder and fascination about the world around us, being creative in our learning and having the ability to explore, reflect and develop our own potential.

Moral development is about giving children opportunities across the curriculum to explore and develop moral concepts and values such as personal rights and responsibilities, truth, justice, equality of opportunity, right and wrong. To show consideration and kindness, and to respond appropriately to the needs, feelings and opinions of others. To understand the consequence of their behaviour and actions and to respect the civil and criminal law of England.

Social development is about how we use our social skills in a range of contexts. Being able to share ideas and opinions, manage conflict, and collaborate with others in order to be part of a successful team. To develop positive relationships with others and to show respect for people from a range of backgrounds and with different beliefs and needs. To understand how to care for people, living things, property and the environment to enable us to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

Cultural development is about how we experience and celebrate our cultural diversity. It’s about understanding and appreciating how people live their lives now and in the past. It’s about valuing our own cultural heritage and showing respect for other people’s values and beliefs. It’s about experiencing a range of arts, language, food, music, artefacts and other cultural practices.

Promoting Fundamental British Values

In accordance with The Department for Education we aim to actively promote British values in school to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance and understand that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law.

The Key Values are:

• democracy
• rule of law
• individual liberty
• mutual respect
• tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

At Inglehurst Infant School we reflect British values in all that we do.  We aim to nurture our children on their journey through life so they can grow into safe, caring, democratic, responsible and tolerant adults who make a positive difference to British society and to the world. We encourage our children to be creative, unique, open-minded and independent individuals, respectful of themselves and of others in our school, our local community and the wider world.

Below is a document explaining some of the ways in which these values are reinforced and actively promoted within our school.