SMSC & BRITISH VALUES
At Dersingham the SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural) strands weave through our school ethos rather than being taught in separate lessons.
SMSC becomes a part of our Creative curriculum, our Physical Education, RE and PSHE lessons. It is also part of our assemblies. The inclusion of SMSC across the school is a key means of promoting fundamental British values in school and within the wider community.
Using the Cornerstones pedagogy and curriculum puts spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) education at the heart of our school creative curriculum.
Spiritual
Pupils spiritual development is shown by their;
- beliefs, religious or otherwise, which inform their perspective on life & their interest in & respect for different people’s feelings & values
- sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them, including the intangible
- use of imagination and creativity in their learning
- willingness to reflect on their experiences
We encourage and praise the children’s ability to ask questions and share ideas in a highly respectful manner so they feel supported and knowledgeable.
Social
Pupils’ social development is shown by their:
- use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
- willingness to participate in a variety of social settings, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
- interest in, and understanding of, the way communities and societies function at a variety of levels
As a teaching staff we continually encourage children to play and share experiences as a whole school to really support their social development.
Rule of Law
We reinforce the importance of law in respect to home, school and the wider community through assemblies, collective worship, and discussions about current news and events.
Historical learning across the school enables us to reflect on how rules have changed over time to benefit a greater number of people.
We have a strong anti-bullying culture in school, where issues are addressed quickly. We have a clear and consistent behaviour policy that is carefully followed by all.
Visits by our local police and PCSO's help to reinforce our understanding of the Rule of Law.
Individual Liberty
Pupils are listened to at Dersingham and are taught to listen carefully to others and to respect the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard. We encourage each other to take ownership of our learning, level of challenge and progress. This encourages a heightened sense of personal and social responsibility and provides the children with a sense of belonging. The school parliament is a place where children at Dersingham can express their views openly, always being listened to and heard whilst developing the respect for all others.
Where appropriate within learning opportunities teachers provide children with the chance to share their own opinions without judgement.
Moral
Pupils’ moral development is shown by their:
- ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and their readiness to apply this understanding in their own lives
- understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions
- interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues
- ability to develop an acceptance of other people, understanding the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.
Cultural
Pupils’ cultural development is shown by their:
- understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage
- willingness to participate in, and respond to, for example, artistic, musical, sporting, mathematical, technological, scientific and cultural opportunities
- interest in exploring, understanding of, and respect for cultural diversity and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities
Children at Dersingham are exposed to a wide range of literature, music and information to enhance their cultural development.
Mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
Respect is one of our core values at Dersingham and underpins all that we do, forming a key part of our school TEACH values.
We learn about the cultures and beliefs of others, showing respect and tolerance, through our curriculum as well as events such ‘The Singing Children of Africa’, visiting local care homes and supporting a range of charities.
Democracy
At Dersingham, we endeavour to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equally.
We encourage children to become involved in decision-making processes and ensure that Pupil Voice is a key part of our school development. Our School parliament members , who are elected democratically, play an important role in our school development.
To celebrate the value of democracy and to ensure that the children understood how this works in our country we delivered a series of assemblies about the most recent general election. In these we discussed what an election is as well as the key party leaders and policies proposals.
