SMSC stands for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. As an inclusive school, we believe our students have excellent access to SMSC. Please see the information below for our approach to ensuring all students at Alderman Peel High School receive SMSC throughout their time with us. SMSC is about the whole student, their welfare and their place in society
S = Spiritual - Learning about different beliefs and faiths, enjoying learning, being creative and happy
M = Moral - Learning rights from wrong and the consequences of our actions in life
S = Social - Trips, extra-curricular activities and learning about others in our society
C = Cultural - Spending time with different cultures, being multi-cultural and studying about what makes up British Values - Identifying prejudice, democracy and celebrating the diversity of other cultures
SMSC and British Values are promoted throughout the school and we are dedicated to providing for your child:
- ◦ A ‘whole student’ curriculum throughout every subject including Citizenship
- ◦ A huge variety of extra-curricular activities from Literacy to Chess
- ◦ A wide range of trips to London, across the UK and abroad
- ◦ Services for student wellbeing including a Counsellor
- ◦ A House system, creating a family culture throughout the school
- ◦ Student Parliament and Student Voice - allowing students opinions to be heard through a school democracy
- ◦ Staff/Student Mentoring - allowing all students to have someone they can talk to about both their school work and wider lives.
- ◦ Whole school rewards system focusing on positive behaviour and Citizenship through, House awards, Citizenship awards and School Awards
- ◦ External Agency connections, allowing for students to experience the best of life in London and the UK, for example University Of East Anglia and Cambridge University, working with local District Councillors and our M.P Norman Lamb. etc )
- ◦ An expansion of charity work and volunteering across the school
Explore beliefs and experiences; respect faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect.
Students’ spiritual development is shown throughout subjects, trips, assemblies and extra-curricular activities 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 e.g. Buddhist Monk Assembly
- ◦ sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them e.g. University Taster Days and International Days
- ◦ use of imagination and creativity in their learning
- ◦ willingness to reflect on their experiences.
We recognise right and wrong; respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views.
Students’ moral development is shown throughout subjects, trips, assemblies, Citizenship Days and extra-curricular activities by their:
- ◦ ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England e.g. Citizenship Day and UEA Street Law Day
- ◦ understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions e.g. assemblies
- ◦ 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 e.g. School Parliament
We investigate moral issues; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict; engage with the 'British values'of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance.
Our students’ social development is shown throughout subjects, trips, assemblies, Citizenship Days and extra-curricular activities by their:
- ◦ use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with students 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 students develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.
We appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain's parliamentary system; participate in cultural opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity.
Students’ cultural development is shown throughout subjects, trips, assemblies and extra-curricular activities 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 e.g. in RS lessons
- ◦ 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 e.g. Sporting Ambassadors and the Olympic values.
- ◦ 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.
We aspire to give outstanding cultural awareness and provide thoughtful and wide-ranging promotion of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
As a modern, multi-cultural school, we promote the basic British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. This ensures young people understand the importance of respect and leave school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.
The key themes of British Values are:
- ◦ equality
- ◦ multiculturalism
- ◦ freedom of spiritual expression
- ◦ tolerance of others
- ◦ concept of 'Britishness'
- ◦ democracy
- ◦ national identity
Examples of the understanding and knowledge students are expected to learn include:
- ◦ an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process e.g. EU Referendum school voting.
- ◦ An understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
- ◦ An acceptance that people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
- ◦ An understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination
Examples of actions we take to promote British values are to:
- ◦ include in suitable parts of the curriculum - as appropriate for the age of students - material on 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 all students within the school have a voice that is listened to, and demonstrate how democracy works by actively promoting democratic processes such as a school council whose members are voted for by the students
- ◦ use opportunities such as general or local elections to hold mock elections to promote fundamental British values and provide students with the opportunity to learn how to argue and defend points of view
- ◦ consider the role of extra-curricular activities, including any run directly by students, in promoting fundamental British values