Spiritual Moral Social and Cultural Development

What is SMSC?

SMSC stands for spiritual, moral, social and cultural. All schools in England must show how well their pupils develop in SMSC.

Spiritual

Explore beliefs and experience; respect values; discover oneself and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect.

Moral

Recognise right and wrong; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views.

Social

Use social skills in different contexts; work well with others; resolve conflicts; understand how communities work.

Cultural

Appreciate cultural influences; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity.

By the end of a pupil’s time in Norwood, we want our children in SMSC to:

Spiritual development

ability to be reflective about their own beliefs (religious or otherwise) and perspective on life
knowledge of, and respect for, different people’s faiths, feelings and values
sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them
use of imagination and creativity in their learning and a willingness to reflect on their experiences.

Moral development

ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and to readily apply this understanding in their own lives
recognise legal boundaries and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England
understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions
interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues and ability to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues.

Social development

use of a range of social skills in different contexts, for example working and socialising with other pupils, including those from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, co-operating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
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;
develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

Cultural development

understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures in the school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
ability to recognise, and value, the things we share in common across cultural, religious, ethnic and socio-economic communities
knowledge of Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain
willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, musical, sporting and cultural opportunities
interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity and the extent to which they understand, accept and respect diversity. This is shown by their respect and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities.

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