SMSC POLICY

From September 2016

Heysham High aims to be an outstanding, oversubscribed school with world class facilities and a thriving sixth form. We will provide an outstanding curriculum that meets all students' needs and fully prepares them for the future. We are committed that the school and its students play a central role in the community; locally, nationally and internationally.

Our students will recognise that with courage, determination, scholarship and compassion, anything is possible.

Date effective from: / September 2016
Date approved by Governors: / 19th September 2016
Date of review: / September 2017
Prepared by: / CS/SLT

Heysham High School

SMSC POLICY

The Governing Body will establish, in consultation with all stakeholders, the policy for the promotion of SMSC and review it annually. It will ensure that it is communicated to all stakeholders, is non-discriminatory and is clear in it’s expectations. The Governing Body will support the school in giving students the maximum opportunity to develop spiritually,morally, socially and culturally.

At Heysham High School we recognise that the personal development of students, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve. We therefore aim to provide an education that provides students with opportunities to explore and develop their own values and beliefs, spiritual awareness, high standards of personal behaviour, a positive, caring attitude towards other people, an understanding of their social and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of the cultures.

1.1Roles and Responsibilities

All adults will model and promote expected behaviour, treating all people as unique and valuable individuals and showing respect for pupils and their families.

The Governing Body will establish, in consultation with the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team the policy for SMSC. They will keep it under review and ensure that it is communicated to all stakeholders. They will ensure that it is non-discriminatory and consistently applied.

The Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team are responsible for the implementation and day-to-day management for the policy and its procedures.

The staff (including teachers, support staff and student teachers) will be responsible for ensuring that the policy is followed during the delivery of the curriculum and in pastoral time.

Parents and Carers will be encouraged to work in partnership with the school and will be given every opportunity to raise issues with regard to the delivery of SMSC with the school.

Students will be expected to participate in the school’s delivery of SMSC education.

Guidelines

All curriculum areas have a contribution to make to the child’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and opportunities for this will be planned in each area of the curriculum.

All adults will model and promote expected behaviour, treating all people as unique and valuable individuals and showing respect for students and their families.

The school community will be a place where students can find acceptance for themselves as unique individuals and where forgiveness and the opportunity to start again is fundamental to the ethos of the school.

Students should learn to differentiate between right and wrong in as far as their actions affect other people. They will be encouraged to value themselves and others.

Students should understand the need for rules and the need to abide by rules for the good of everyone. School and classroom rules should reflect, reiterate, promote and reward acceptable behaviour and provide opportunities to celebrate students’ work and achievements.

All curriculum areas should seek to use illustrations and examples drawn from as wide a range of cultural contexts as possible. This will be reflected in teacher’s planning and purchasing decisions.

1 General Aims

  • To ensure that everyone connected with the school is aware of our values and principles.
  • To ensure a consistent approach to the delivery of SMSC issues through the curriculum and the general life of the school.
  • To ensure that a pupil’s education is set within a context that is meaningful and appropriate to their age, aptitude and background.
  • To ensure that students know what is expected of them and why.
  • To give each pupil a range of opportunities to reflect upon and discuss their beliefs, feelings and responses to personal experience.
  • To enable students to develop an understanding of their individual and group identity.
  • To enable students to begin to develop an understanding of their social and cultural environment and an appreciation of the many cultures that now enrich our society.
  • To give each pupil the opportunity to explore social and moral issues, and develop a sense of social and moral responsibility.
  • 1.3 Context.

In order for the SMSC policy to be effective , a clear relationship with other school policies has been established. This policy should be read in conjunction with the following.

Learning and Teaching Policy

Health and Safety Policy

Safeguarding Policy

Attendance Policy

Anti-Bullying Policy Assume all these are in existence

Home School Agreement

RE Policy ( SACRE Guidance)

Behaviour Policy.

Spiritual Development

1.The spiritual development of students 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 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.

Objectives

As a school we aim to provide learning opportunities that will enable students to:

  • Develop their self-esteem, self knowledge and belief in themselves through their learning experience.
  • Develop their capacity for critical and independent thought.
  • Foster their emotional life and allow them to express their feelings in a variety of ways and give them time to reflect on their experiences.
  • Experience moments of stillness and reflection.
  • Develop a range of personal values and beliefs based on a sense of curiosity and respect towards their own and other beliefs
  • Allow them to understand, express, use and control feelings and emotions as well as encouraging empathy in terms of relationship with others.
  • Reflect on, consider and celebrate the wonders and mysteries of life and explore the spiritual value of others.

How spiritual understanding is delivered at Heysham High

1. Through the curriculum

2.Through a Religious study programme which develops self esteem and knowledge and an ability to reflect on and develop students own spiritual values.

3.Through .a Lifeskills programme for years 7-13 which develops capacity for critical and independent thought and allows them time to reflect as well as developing a range of personal values It will also provide them with appropriate information, advice and guidance for students in order to prepare them for exploring pathways for their futures.

4.Through an assembly programme which uses past and present role models from the world and to has participation from community groups.

5.Through a pastoral system that is focussed on learning as well as providing support to allow them to understand, express, use and control feelings and develop empathy for others.

6.Using educational enrichment trips and days, creative partnerships and using visiting speakers to provide students with a range of experiences which may promote a sense of awe and wonder about the world.

7. A reflective approach to learning through the use of formative assessment techniques so students have ownership and an understanding of where they are, where they need to go to and how they are to do it.

8.Through a rewards system developing students self esteem, certificates, achievers breaks, Pride Award Event, Scholars Awards, Sports Awards, Dance and Drama displays.

9. Using displays of students work around the school allowing students to have a sense of pride in the work that is produced as well as acknowledging the skills of the individuals

10. The use of the school council to involve students in the life of the school

Moral Development

The moral development of students 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.

Objectives

As a school we aim to provide learning opportunities that will enable students to:

  • Recognise the unique value of every individual in the school and wider community.
  • Listen to and respond appropriately to the views of others.
  • Gain the confidence to cope with setbacks and learn from mistakes.
  • Take initiative and act responsibly with consideration for others.
  • Distinguish between right and wrong.
  • To respect the civil and criminal law of the country
  • Be committed to a healthy, safe and environmentally school.
  • Make informed and independent judgements.
  • To be committed to school code of conduct
  • To be equipped and ready for learning

How moral understanding is delivered at Heysham High

1. Through the curriculum.

2.. Through having a well-established behaviour policy which is clearly understood by the whole school community.

3. Demonstration of models of good behaviour shown by staff and senior students and the reinforcemen

of the code of conduct both inside and outside of lessons.

4. Through a Lifeskills programme for years 7-13 which deals with moral subjects, allows students to recognise the unique value of each individual and to make informed and independent judgements

5. Using assemblies to promote a range of topics such as student safety in a range of situations including Internet safety, keeping healthy and looking after the environment.

6. Through a pastoral programme which encourages students to listen to and respond appropriately to the views of others and gives them confidence to cope with setbacks and learn from mistakes.

7 Using local, national and global incidents in addition to existing programmes of study to provide opportunities for teaching about morality and behaviour

8. Fund raising activities for charities.

9. The Growth Mindset programme which is being run through the school council.

Social Development

The social development of students is shown by their:

use of a range of social skills in different contexts, for example working and socialising with other students, 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.

Objectives

As a school we aim to promote opportunities that will enable students to:

  • Develop an understanding of the wider society through the school, local and wider communities
  • Learn about service in the school and wider community and be willing to participate in a variety of community and social settings
  • Respond to the opportunities being offered to show initiative and to take responsibility for their own learning in the school community.
  • To give opportunities students to cooperate with others and to learn how to resolve conflicts
  • To accept and engage with fundamental British values

How social understanding is delivered at Heysham

1. Through the curriculum particularly in History.

2. Through the Lifeskills programme in years 7-13.

3. Through trips and Enrichment day activities

4. Providing opportunities for students to take part in volunteering through programmes such as DofE.

4.The use of the student council representatives to provide feedback to other students and to obtain the views of the main student body to take forward to SLT.

5. The use of students in teams across the school, school council, prefect teams, house system, Eco teams,

6. Using an independent IAG worker in school to provide information and guidance to students on career/further or higher education planning

7. Using assemblies to promote acceptance of and engagement with fundamental British values

8. Having events in school to promote understanding such as running elections.

Cultural Development

The cultural development of students is shown by their:

understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and those 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, 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, 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.

Cultural Development

As a school we aim to promote opportunities that will enable students to:

  • Recognise the value and richness of cultural diversity of the local and national community and how these influence individuals and society.
  • Develop an understanding of their social and cultural environment.
  • Develop an understanding of Britain’s local, national, European, Commonwealth and global dimensions in terms of beliefs, values, attitudes customs, knowledge and skills.
  • Experience a range of cultural activities in terms of literature, music, technology, art and photography, dance, drama,sport and other media

How cultural understanding is delivered at Heysham

1.Through the curriculum

2.Through educational visits at home and abroad to experience other cultures and ways of life.

3.Through the Lifeskills programme in years7-13

4.Through assemblies which look at celebrations in different cutures –Christmas, Easter, Davili, Ramadan

5.Through events such as carol services,dance and drama productions,

6.Using Enrichment Days to focus on cultural events and different countries.

Delivery.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning

All curriculum areas have a contribution to make to the child’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and opportunities for this will be planned in each area of the curriculum. All curriculum areas should seek to use illustrations and examples drawn from as wide a range of cultural contexts as possible. This will be reflected in teacher’s planning and purchasing decisions.

Teaching staff should use a range of different activities to deliver elements of the SMSC curriculum. These may include:

  • Circle time
  • Class and group discussions
  • Collaborative working
  • Community service activities
  • Question and answer sessions
  • Project work

Class discussions and circle time will give students opportunities to:

  • Talk about personal experiences and feelings.
  • Express and clarify their own ideas and beliefs.
  • Speak about difficult events, eg bullying, death etc.
  • Share thoughts and feelings with other people.
  • Explore relationships with friends/family/others.
  • Consider others needs and behaviour.
  • Show empathy.
  • Develop self-esteem and a respect for others.
  • Develop a sense of belonging.
  • Develop the skills and attitudes that enable students to develop socially, morally, spiritually and culturally – eg empathy, respect, open mindedness, sensitivity, critical awareness, etc (for comprehensive list see attached sheet).

Many curriculum areas provide opportunities to:

  • Listen and talk to each other.
  • Learn an awareness of treating all as equals, and accepting people who are physically or mentally different.
  • Agree and disagree.
  • Take turns and share equipment.
  • Work co-operatively and collaboratively.

Links with the wider community

The school has strong links with the local and wider community. Students are encouraged to organise and take part in community events.

  • Visitors are welcomed into school.
  • The development of a strong home-school link is regarded as very important, enabling parents and teachers to work in an effective partnership to support the pupil.
  • Students will be taught to appreciate their local environment and to develop a sense of responsibility to it.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Provision for SMSC will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. This will be achieved by:

  • Monitoring of lesson plans and teaching and learning, by SLT
  • Regular discussion at staff and governors’ meetings
  • Audit of policies and Schemes of Work.
  • Sharing of classroom work and practice.
  • Audit of Collective Worship policy and practice.
  • Collation of evidence of pupil’s work in school portfolio.
  • Regular inclusion on SDP/SIP.
Review

This policy will be reviewed in accordance with the policy review schedule.

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