Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Vision Statement.

The promotion of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development at New Milton Infant School develops the whole child, equipping them with a moral compass and a positive set of values in order to thrive in a rapidly changing society.  SMSC learning fosters and develops confident individuals, enabling them to enjoy successful relationships and a fulfilling life as they grow and mature in the modern world.

                                                                         Our Vision

The promotion of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development is important because it develops the whole child, equipping them with a moral compass and a positive set of values in order to thrive in a rapidly changing society.  SMSC learning fosters and develops confident individuals, enabling them to enjoy successful relationships and a fulfilling life as they grow and mature in the modern world.

SMSC is embedded in all areas of our school environment and curriculum in order to prepare children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.  We understand that the four disciplines have many areas of overlap but we have gathered definitions of the four areas to help formulate a common understanding of how to develop these dimensions in school.

Spiritual

The spiritual development of pupils is shown by their:

• Ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faith, 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
• Willingness to reflect on their experiences.

Moral

The moral development of pupils is shown by their:

• Ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives
• Understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions
• Interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues

Social

The social development of pupils is shown by their:

• Use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
• Willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating 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; the pupils develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain

Cultural

The cultural development of pupils is shown by their:

• 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 within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
• 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, 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, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities

From New Milton Infant School SMSC policy