At Barlby Primary School, the SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural) strands weave through our school ethos rather than being taught in separate lessons.

SMSC has become a part of our RE and RSE & 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 Kapow Primary curriculum puts spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) education at the heart of our school.

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.

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.

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.

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 Barlby are exposed to a wide range of literature, music and information to enhance their cultural development.

 

British Values

Mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

Respect is one of our core values at Barlby and underpins all that we do, forming a key part of our school ethos ‘Learning together hand in hand’.

We learn about the cultures and beliefs of others, showing respect and tolerance, through our curriculum as well as events such International Cultural Evening, visiting religious buildings and working collaboratively with our Charity partners – At the Bus © and All Child ©.

Rule of Law

We reinforce the importance of law inrespect to home, school and the wider community through assemblies, circle times and discussions about current news and events (Newsround).

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 everyone.

Individual Liberty

Pupils are listened to at Barlby 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 Council class meetings are a place where children at Barlby can express their views openly, always being listened to and heard whilst developing respect for all others.

Where appropriate, within learning opportunities, teachers provide children with the chance to share their own opinions without judgement.

Democracy

At Barlby, 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 Council 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 policy proposals. We also took part in the UK Parliament Week with a range of activities and an assembly to explain ‘The House of Lords’ and ‘House of Commons’.

To enrich this British Value, Year 5 and Year 6 visited the Houses of Parliament to take part in a tour and workshop about making laws. This was a great experience for the children to meet their local Member of Parliament.                                                                                            

   

(Portobello 6 in the Parts of Parliament: Building a Law Workshop)

(Portobello 6 in Westminster Hall)

(Westbourne 5 meeting our local MP - Joe Powell)