Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Education

At Lynch Hill, as our school strapline states, we aim high, work hard and care deeply and want to enable our children to develop their whole personality and talents in a safe, caring and stimulating environment.

SMSC (Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural) provision aims to provide all children with an ‘Education for Life’. We believe every child deserves to reach their full potential. The development of the whole child, mind, body and spirit, has a huge impact on a child’s confidence and helps build the diverse and respectful culture we aspire to at Lynch Hill. Now more than ever, it is vital that children treasure their own culture, and share cultural experiences with their peers, in order to value the diversity of those around them. As pupils understand how to engage with the world around them, they are equipped with the social and emotional skills to be successful members of our global community. SMSC allows pupils to explore their sense of self-worth, to understand their place in British society, have a strong sense of British values and to question and make reasoned, informed judgements about society and the wider world.

SMSC helps a child to engage and discover by facilitating inspiring opportunities to:

  • Think and discuss about their own and other cultures.
  • Understand the importance of religion and how it shapes morality.
  • Interpret and empathize with different cultures, religions and philosophies.
  • Understand more about their own awareness of the big questions in the world and how to respect the opinions of others.
  • Discover how their own philosophical ideas fit in with the world around them.
  • Children have a right to learn about things and share their learning with others in a safe environment.

How is SMSC development provided at Lynch Hill?

The school curriculum is broadly balanced to prepare the children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences that they can take forward as they grow up and enter adult life. In lessons, teachers take every opportunity to add to the breadth and depth of pupils’ cultural and spiritual experience, and aim to bring the best out in every individual in school and beyond. Provision for SMSC development is a high priority, enabling pupils to explore different cultures, question morals and discuss the impact of them on society.

Some lessons particularly focus on developing children’s SMSC. These include:

  •  Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)
  •  Religious Education (RE), and Physical Education (PE)
  •  Art and Music

In these sessions, children enjoy their right to voice their opinion on matters that affect them and their community, and staff take their opinions seriously. Children have a right to be safe, and so we also learn about important issues that help to keep them protected.

SMSC provision is not only provided through lessons, but in all other aspects of school life:

  •  Peer Mentors (Buddies)
  •  Young Ambassadors
  •  Sports Council
  •  School Council
  •  Rewards in general
  •  Enrichment activities and after school clubs
  •  Personalised interviews and target-setting
  •  Celebration weeks, such as Friendship Week, Book Weeks, Inclusion, Diversity and Cultural Weeks
  •  Charity fundraising days
  •  Talent shows, performances and assemblies