SMSC Policy

Policy for Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Values (SMSC)

SMSC and the Development of Fundamental British Values

The personal development of students (SMSC) is a major aim of education and is central to the education of the whole child. It is a statutory requirement that clear and planned provision is made for SMSC for all students. The National Curriculum 2000 states that: "The school curriculum should aim to promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life." At Barnwell School, our ethos is focused on the development of the whole person and SMSC values encompass all aspects of school life and all subjects.

The newly adopted Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education policy – February 2019, also encompasses many of the SMSC strands.

We believe that education is value-inherent and are thus proactively committed to the promotion of skills, awareness and dispositions that enable our students to develop their capacity to explore their own and others' values and beliefs in a safe and respectful but challenging environment.

The purpose of this policy is to state clearly the shared values and aims of the school and to ensure that they are reflected in our practice through the effective promotion of opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Opportunities for SMSC are both planned and spontaneous, arising out of the day-to-day experience of students and staff in and beyond the school.