SMSC

At Cornerstone Schools we recognise that the personal development of pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve.  We deliver high quality education that provides pupils with opportunities to explore and develop their own values and beliefs, spiritual awareness, high standards of personal behaviour and a positive, caring attitude towards others.

We aim to help them achieve an understanding of social and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of their cultures.

The school curriculum aims to foster pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare all pupils for opportunities, responsibilities and expectations in life.

We promote the fundamental British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different beliefs and faith.

Moral values, principles and spirituality will be explored throughout the curriculum and especially in R.E. and collective worship.

Our school has very strong community links to our local churches. The integrity and spirituality of all faiths will be respected and explored.  Pupils are given access to alternative views and a diversity of spiritual traditions.

Spiritual Development

Definition – Spiritual development focuses on an individual’s own personal beliefs and values and their resulting behaviours. Through spiritual development, children are able to understand their own feelings and emotions and this enables them to reflect and to learn

Curriculum opportunities enable pupils to:

• Be curious and to express feelings of delight and wonder, (scientific investigations, chemical reactions, new life, the global landscape)
• Empathise and consider the viewpoints of others, (debates, drama activities, discussing feelings and empathising with characters in familiar stories)
• Consider how a belief can change people’s lifestyles , (R.E, investigating communities and faiths, historical case studies)
• Discuss what they think they have achieved and what they need to do to be successful in the future, (self assessment, target setting activities)

Moral Development

Definition – Moral development means exploring, understanding and recognising shared values and considering the issues of right and wrong

The classroom environment and curriculum promote moral development through:

• Codes of conduct and class rules, agreed with children and displayed in the classroom
• Clear and consistent rewards and sanctions that children understand and believe to be fair.
• Collective Worships that discuss moral values and cite expectations.
• Activities that enable pupils to give opinions and show their values.

Social Development

Definition – Social development involves learners working effectively together and participating successfully in the school community as a whole. During a pupil’s social development they gain interpersonal skills that allow them to form successful relationships and to become a positive team member.

At Cornerstone Schools social skills are developed through:

• Modelling of positive social behaviour and relationships by all staff
• After school clubs
• Sporting activities
• Buddy and team games at play times and lunch times
• Turn taking and team building activities
• Pair and small group work within the classroom
• Working with others across the local community (cluster schools)

Cultural Development

Definition – Cultural development enables learner’s to develop an understanding of their own culture and of other cultures locally, nationally and internationally. It also means learning to feel comfortable in a variety of cultures and valuing cultural diversity.

Children are introduced to a regional and global perspective in life through:

• Links with local and international schools
• Stories from different cultures
• First hand experiences through local visits, theatre, art and artists
• Visitors from the local and international community
• Being part of National and International fund raising events
• Studies of a different lifestyle including different food, dress, festivals and places of worship.

Assessment for learning

Our teachers assess the children’s work in SMSC and British Values both by making informal judgments as they observe them during lessons and extra-curricular activities and through speaking to the children about how they feel and what they have learned.