SMSC is about developing the whole child through:
- Spiritual
- Moral
- Social
- Cultural activities
SMSC links to the Wellness Curriculum which has been developed by Aspirations Academies Trust to promote positive mental health and wellbeing and support the personal development of our students spiritually, morally, socially and culturally.
The RSHE and Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies are also relevant to the SMSC curriculum, as well as the Academy’s plans for supporting students’ personal development.
Intent
Our aspirations form the basis of everything we do: our ethos, our community spirit and our curriculum. The Aspirations Academies Trust’s Guiding Principles (Self Worth: Belonging, Heroes, Sense of Accomplishment; Sense of Purpose: Leadership and Responsibility, Confidence to Take Action and Engagement: Curiosity and Creativity, Spirit of Adventure and Fun and Excitement) work alongside and integrate fully with the aims of SMSC. We recognise that the academic development of students of all ages is improved when their personal development (including the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects) are fully supported.
Spiritual Development
The aims of Spiritual Development at our Academy are to:
- Develop students’ ability to reflect on their beliefs and those of others around them.
- Develop students’ ability to show empathy, respect and tolerance toward people holding different values and beliefs to them.
- Cultivate a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them.
- Develop students’ confidence to explore deep and provoking questions.
- Develop students’ ability to self-reflect on their experiences, feelings, thoughts and actions.
Moral Development
The aims of Moral Development at our Academy are to:
- Develop students’ ability to distinguish between right and wrong by critically assessing their actions and those of others, and in doing so, respect the civil and criminal law of England.
- Teach students to accept responsibility for their actions and understand the consequences of their behaviours and actions, and understand that this applies to the digital environment.
- Develop students’ ability to make informed and independent decisions across a range of moral, ethical and environmental issues.
- Develop students’ sense of integrity and honesty.
Social Development
The aims of Cultural Development at our Academy are to:
- Develop students’ ability to operate in diverse communities.
- Prepare students for the structures and systems which exist in different aspects of society through teaching the fundamental British Values of Democracy, The Rule of Law, Individual Liberty and Mutual Respect.
- Promote community identity and a sense of belonging within the Academy environment.
- Use the British Values to promote social cohesion amongst students within the Academy and with other peers in students’ external communities.
- Develop students’ ability to make positive contributions to their society through participation in volunteering and other service activities.
Cultural Development
The aims of Cultural Development at our Academy are to:
- Recognise similarities and differences between different communities and appreciate how this contributes to a richer society in modern Britain.
- Reflect on the cultural influences which have influenced their development, and how this may differ amongst their peers.
- Encourage students to recognise the value of cultural diversity in a range of environments including local communities and workplaces.
- Understand Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its role in shaping British history and values.
- Develop a positive disposition in students toward exploring and engaging with different faiths.
- Encourage students to participate in a range of artistic, musical, sporting and cultural opportunities from a wide range of different cultural backgrounds.
Implementation
SMSC focuses on giving young people the information, skills, experiences and mindset they need to help them develop as informed, respectful and active citizens in society, including but not limited to:
- British Values.
- Citizenship.
- Religion – religious education will be delivered in an inclusive way representing all faiths and religious events throughout the School Year. The Academy will adapt the delivery of Religious Education to celebrate all faiths represented amongst the student community.
- Cross-cultural literacy.
Early Years
It should be noted that the Academy places equal emphasis on the importance of SMSC in the Early Years Foundation Stage. SMSC education is fully integrated within the 7 areas of learning (National Curriculum) and delivered at an appropriate developmental level through a holistic approach which draws on a range of delivery methods highlighted in the matrix below.
Whole School
Throughout the Academy, SMSC is taught as part of the whole curriculum and is delivered through:
- Aspirations Values and Livingstone Values.
- The Wellness Curriculum:
- Daily routines (TIP time with mentors, assemblies, whole school events).
- Culture of the school.
- Deep Learning Sessions in Assessment, Personal and Performance weeks.
- Extra-curricular activities.
- The Academy Curriculum:
- Applied Transdisciplinary Learning.
Further details about how each dimension of SMSC is delivered can be found in the matrix below.
The elements in the table below helps to illustrate where we intend to teach spiritual, moral, social and cultural education across the curriculum. We reserve the right to adapt and change the schedule in response to careful and thorough review of how the Academy can best support its students throughout the year. Further opportunities will be identified as the year progresses.
Impact – Monitoring and Review
Provision for SMSC will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. This will be achieved by:
- All staff will engage with the continued development of SMSC delivery at Livingstone Academy.
- Staff will share classroom work and best practice at weekly staff meetings.
- The Executive Director of Learning will carry out monitoring on SMSC as part of the whole school monitoring process.