SMSC, FBV and Equalities

Aims of Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural Education

We aim to provide an education that provides students with - 

Spiritual development of students, shown by their: 

• ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise
• respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values
• sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them
• use of imagination and creativity in their learning
• willingness to reflect on their experiences 

Moral development of students, shown by their: 

• ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England
• understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions
• interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues 

Social development of students, shown by their: 

• use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and social-economic backgrounds
• willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
• acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; the pupils develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain 

Cultural development of pupils shown, by their: 

• understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
• understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
• knowledge of Britain's democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain
• willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities
• interest in exploring, improving understanding of, and showing respect for, different faiths and cultural diversity, and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities

Delivery of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education

Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural education is embedded throughout all aspects of The Lenham School. It is delivered through: 

• Quality First Teaching and Learning in all subjects
• Key curriculum content in subjects such as Worldviews, History, Ethics, English, and Modern Foreign Languages
• Themed Weeks/ Months
• Assemblies
• Personal Development Time
• Enrichment programme
• Charity
• Internationalism
• Clubs and Societies
• Leadership opportunities

The Purpose of Assemblies

• Reinforce an ethos of excellence
• Promote high standards, expectations and aspirations
• Develop a sense of spirituality among the students
• Provide an opportunity to ‘reflect’ / collective worship
• Raise moral and ethical questions
• Encourage social awareness
• Develop spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) enrichment
• Strengthen aesthetic awareness
• Reinforce the core values of the school
• Create a greater sense of community through shared experience
• Offer stimulating, thought-provoking and sometimes humorous issues
• Maintain good communication among staff and students
• Celebrate students' work and other achievements

Fundamental British Values

At The Lenham School we promote and support fundamental British values while at the same time we prepare students to be responsible and active citizens in a multicultural and diverse society. We acknowledge, celebrate, and inform students about Britain’s history, culture and heritage in a whole variety of ways. British Values are promoted throughout the school curriculum.

Please see the below mapping: INSERT MAPPING

National and International Awareness Programme

At The Lenham School, there are local and national events, awareness days and cultural religious observations and students engage with and learn about these themes through assemblies. We also use our Personal Development Time and Assembly programme to recognise key events: 

• Religious/Cultural Festivals i.e. Ramadan, Easter, Diwali, Eid-al-Adha
• Awareness Days/Events i.e. Holocaust Memorial Day, Remembrance Day, International Women’s Day, Commonwealth Day… 
• Awareness Months i.e. National Black History month (October), African/America History Month (February), Women’s History Month (March), Great Outdoors Month (June), UK Disability History Month (Nov- Dec), Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month (June)