What is SMSC?

SMSC stands for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  It is the over-arching umbrella that encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum. All schools in England must show how well their pupils develop in SMSC. As part of work in this area, it meets Article 2 for the Rights of the Child where they apply to every child without discrimination.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development 

Spiritual: Explore beliefs and experience; respect faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect.

Moral: Recognise right and wrong; respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views and have an appreciation of British Values.

Social: Investigate and moral issues; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict; engage with the fundamental values of British democracy.

Cultural: Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain's parliamentary system; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity.

MSC should be ‘at the heart’ of school development. It requires us to think about the kind of people we aspire to be, the kind of world we aspire to create, and the kind of education we aspire to provide.

The spiritual development of pupils is shown by their:

• 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
• willingness to reflect on their experiences

The moral development of pupils is shown by their:

• 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.

The social development of pupils is shown by their:

• 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, 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; they develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

 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 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

British Values

• As well as promoting good social and moral values, and developing pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness within school, we also promote the following fundamental British values: Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual liberty, Mutual respect and Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. 

• We work to:

  • include Fundamental British Values in suitable parts of the curriculum - as appropriate for the age of pupils – exploring the strengths, advantages and disadvantages of democracy, and how democracy and the law works in Britain, in contrast to other forms of government in other countries
  • ensure that all pupils within the school have a voice that is listened to, and demonstrate how democracy works by actively promoting democratic processes. We have a school council whose members are voted for by the pupils and who action democratic decision making as part of their role.
  • use opportunities such as general or local elections to hold mock elections to promote fundamental British values and provide pupils with the opportunity to learn how to argue and defend points of view.  We are involved in debate events and survey children’s opinions to support decision-making based on a majority
  • consider the role of extra-curricular activity, including any run directly by pupils, in promoting fundamental British values.
  • encourage our pupils to be respectful of others as courageous advocates