Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development
SMSC is a broad concept, representing the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education of pupils across all aspects of school life. It is the over-arching umbrella that encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum. SMSC enhances our community and supports us in living well together.
At Langley Park School for Boys our guiding aim is:
Educating the whole child. Ambitious for every child.
This is at the heart of everything we do as a school and it underpins our curriculum intent, our priorities and our community values.
These values are exemplified in our three C’s
Courtesy | Cooperation | Care
Our commitment to educating the whole child ensures we value each student as an individual and take seriously each student’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. We want each student to flourish during their time with us, so they are prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in modern Britain.
We strive to create a safe, non-discriminatory, inclusive atmosphere that celebrates diversity and builds respect throughout the school and wider community.
We foster links between home and school to develop a partnership with parents in the education of their children.
We understand that the flourishing of the pupils goes along with the flourishing of the teachers and other staff and are committed to the wellbeing of all staff.
Our ambition for every child is that through our SMSC education they will embody our school values and:
- Show care for themselves and others, co-operate well with peers and adults and treat everyone with courtesy and respect.
- Be open-minded and willing to learn about themselves, others and the wider world, through and beyond the curriculum.
- Develop to their full potential - We recognise different needs and abilities and will provide challenge, appropriate teaching and support at each stage of development.
- Be able to reflect on their personal moral or religious beliefs and values and be respectful of the beliefs and values of others.
- Be able to recognise their responsibility to, and dependence on, others to help them become active, reasoning participants in a democratic society.
- Develop an inner discipline and moral compass so they can make up their own minds about what is right and wrong, taking responsibility for their choices.
SMSC and British Values
At Langley Park School for Boys, we promote the Fundamental British Values actively through our everyday practice. These values underpin what it is to be a citizen in a modern Great Britain valuing our community and celebrating the diversity of the UK. They are: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
SMSC Provision
Spiritual and moral education is delivered explicitly through our assemblies programme, PSHCE lessons and Religious Education curriculum. Social and Cultural education will similarly be taught through assemblies, PSHCE, and throughout the curriculum with enrichment activities in music, performing arts, outdoor education and educational visits, all giving rich opportunity to grow in these areas.
Opportunities for SMSC development exist throughout the curriculum. Some examples of this include: in PE a student will learn a respect for rules, teamwork and have experiences of winning, losing and building resilience; in science students engage with life processes on a micro and macro scale, promoting a sense of awe and wonder; in English students reflect on the morality of the actions of characters, and experience writers from diverse cultures; Business and economics challenges students to look at social responsibility and the impact of their choices on wider society.
Our curriculum maps provide more detail of opportunities for SMSC by subject.
Our pastoral care for students, through tutor groups, mentoring and through our SEND provision, provides further opportunity for personal development.
The Langley Charter scheme offers encouragement and opportunity for a wide range of experiences that support SMSC growth.
SMSC and our Assemblies Programme
At LPSB our assemblies programme is designed to deliver engaging and thought-provoking presentations that support our school values of Courtesy, Cooperation and Care. Assemblies mark and celebrate religious festivals, calendar events, charity awareness campaigns, wellbeing and personal development topics. They are delivered by a range of school staff, students and visiting speakers.
All students study Religious Studies through a combination of taught lessons, tutor time and Curriculum Enrichment periods through key stage 3, 4 and 5.
