Social, Moral, Spiritual & Cultural

SMSC is the over-arching umbrella term that encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum.

Fox Grove puts SMSC at the heart of the school and pupils’ development. It encourages and empowers pupils to think about the kind of people they aspire to be and the world they wish to create. As a school, SMSC helps to inform the kind of education we aim to provide to ensure pupils leave as more rounded individuals reaching their potential.

The spiritual development of pupils is shown by their:

• Engagement in opportunities to enjoy the world around them and to celebrate the achievements and creativity of others and themselves.
• Ability to express their own beliefs (religious or otherwise) and perspective on life.
• Knowledge of, and respect for, different people’s faiths, feelings and values.
• Curiosity, 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 and respecting legal boundaries including 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.
• 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 and people within the wider community 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
• Engagement and response 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

Dates will be circulated at the start of each term via the schools’ newsletter.

We would like to invite parents and pupils to contribute future ideas to our SMSC programme. If you have any topics or areas of interest that you would like to explore please contact  smsc@foxgrove.thpt.org.uk