Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education

and British Values

At Benton Dene Primary School we recognise that the personal development of pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, plays a significant part in their ability to learn and achieve. We therefore aim to provide an education that provides pupils with opportunities to explore and develop:

• Their own values and beliefs, spiritual awareness and high standards of personal behaviour.
• A positive, caring attitude towards other people.
• An understanding of their social and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of all cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of all cultures.

Spiritual Development:As a school we aim to provide learning opportunities that will enable pupils to develop their capacity for critical thought.  We encourage the children to evaluate their own work and the work of others. They are encouraged to express their feelings and beliefs. They learn how to develop and sustain friendships and relationships. By reflecting on their experiences and the mysteries of life, they become better learners.

Moral Development: At our school children are given opportunities to discuss a wide range of issues through stories. Our behaviour policy, rewards and sanctions enable children to gain a good understanding of right and wrong; these values are reinforced in assemblies. By working together, the children learn to listen to different viewpoints and show consideration.

Social Development: The children are given many opportunities to develop responsibility; they can be members of the school council, class monitors or playground buddies. In lessons, cooperative activities promote sharing. Our curriculum uses resources in the wider community and enables children to appreciate diversity e.g. visits to different places of worship.

Cultural Development: Our school curriculum is broad and provides children with a wealth of musical, dramatic and artistic opportunities; children perform and we participate in national initiatives such as The Turner Prize. Children read a wide range of literature and we invite authors to visit our school. We encourage the children to respect and value their own culture and the culture of others.

Spiritual, Moral and Social Development is not taught as a lesson but is promoted throughout the whole curriculum; the aim is to develop a clear sense of purpose within our pupils. 

British Values

At Benton Dene Primary School we uphold and teach pupils about the British Values which are defined as:                     

• Democracy 
• Rule of law 
• Individual liberty 
• Mutual respect 
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs  

These values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE), Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural Education (SMSC) and Religious Education (RE).  We also teach British Values through planning and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum.

The school takes opportunities to actively promote British Values through our daily assemblies/collective acts of worship and whole school systems and structures; such as electing and running a successful School Council. We also actively promote the British Values through ensuring that our curriculum planning and delivery includes real opportunities for exploring these values. Actively promoting British Values also means challenging pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British Values, including ‘extremist’ views.

 At Benton Dene Primary School, these values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy:

Democracy is an important value at our school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through our School Councillors, who are democratically voted for by their peers. The elections of members of the School Council are based on pupil votes. The children have worked together and agreed a code which we at Benton Dene Primary School actively work and live by; these are our ‘Benton Dene Rules. This code is available in each classroom and actively used by children and adults influencing what is an agreed, acceptable behaviour.

The Rule of Law:

The importance of laws and rules; whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout the school day. Our system for behaviour management is aligned to an agreed set of codes (see above) and if children are given verbal warnings this is always set against the agreed school behaviour code. Children are asked to identify which aspect of the ‘Benton Dene Rules’ they have broken to ensure that this connection is made and understood. Children receive Dojo points as a reward for following the Benton Dene Rules and living their life by the chosen set of rules. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws and the consequences when laws are broken. Visits from authorities such as the police, fire service, lifeguards etc. are regular parts of our calendar and help reinforce this message.

Individual Liberty :

Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices at our school, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we provide boundaries for our children to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and planned curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through our e-Safety teaching and PSHE lessons. Pupils are given the freedom to make choices, e.g. signing up for extra-curricular clubs, choose the level of challenge in some lessons and choosing School Councillors and Eco-Champions. Through debate and discussion children begin to understand that their right to personal freedom should not restrict the freedoms of others.

Mutual Respect:

 Part of our school ethos and behaviour policy is based around core values such as ‘respect’ and ‘responsibility’ and these values determine how we live as a community at Benton Dene Primary School. Assemblies are based on world events, religious events, SMSC and British Values and are central to how we expect everyone to go about their life at our school. Children and adults alike, including visitors, are challenged if they are disrespectful in any way.

Tolerance of Those of Different Faiths and Beliefs:

 This is achieved through enhancing pupils’ understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by providing opportunities to enrich their cultural experiences. Assemblies and whole school  discussions involving prejudices and prejudice-based bullying are reinforced in lessons. Likewise we use opportunities such as the Olympics, World Cup and Eurovision Song Contest and our Culture Club to study and learn about lives and cultures in the wider World.

SMSC and British Values Policies