Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development (SMSC)
We develop our pupil's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through our everyday teaching and whole school rules, routines and practice.
Spiritual Development
Through our RE Scheme (Hillingdon Agreed Syllabus) pupils are taught to reflect on their own beliefs and to respect the faiths, feelings and values of others. Each class finds out about a different faith and they take part in visits to various places of worship.
There are opportunities for quiet reflection during the school day including:
- Daily Collective worship
- Class Assemblies incorporating religious topics.
Moral Development
Our school ethos, teaching, school rules and Behaviour Policy support the rule of English civil and criminal law.
We work closely with local public service workers (including the police and fire brigade) teaching pupils to respect the work that they do and developing an understanding that we live under the rule of law for the protection of all. This work includes safety workshops, Hillingdon's Junior Citizen for Year 6 and the Community Police accompany us on our visits to church at Christmas and visit the school to speak to the children during the year.
Our everyday practice teaches the children to recognise the difference between right and wrong.
Our whole school Behaviour Policy teaches the children that there are consequences of their behaviour and actions (including sanctions if they make the wrong choices).
Pupils investigate stories with morals and ethical issues through their RE lessons, collective worship and debates in English and Topic lessons. They are encouraged to give reasoned views and to appreciate the viewpoints of others.
Social Development
Social and other life skills are developed through everyday practice and the PSHE curriculum. Social skills such as turn taking are developed in class through group/paired work and various class debates. Pupils are given the opportunity to work with lots of different groups including children from different abilities, religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
A range of extra curricular activities are offered at Lady Bankes Primary School and all pupils are encouraged to take part. Parents and pupils are signposted to various events in the community through fliers sent home and information included in our weekly newsletter. All pupils are given jobs to do in class and our pupils in Year 6 are given various whole school responsibilities including House Captains and house point monitors. Through our PSHE curriculum pupils are taught to cooperate with others and how to deal with conflict. Our Friendship Week and E-Safety Day are used to promote a caring ethos across our school.
The children are actively encouraged to have a voice in school. Our pupil School Council meets regularly, helping the children learn how they can actively influence decision making through a democratic process. Pupils who wish to represent their class and houses are asked to give a speech to their classmates and they are then voted for in a democratic way.
Pupils who have problems developing particular social skills are supported through their Individual Learning Plans and intervention programmes. We work closely with outside agencies such as the Hillingdon Speech and Language Team and Behaviour Support.
Cultural Development
Through our skills-based topic learning pupils are given an understanding and appreciation of how a wide range of cultural influences have shaped their own heritage and that of others.
Through their PHSE curriculum pupils explore the strengths, advantages and disadvantages of democracy and the importance of British Values.
We offer a variety of clubs in school and actively encourage all pupils to participate. We take part in wider community events including borough sports competitions and actively encourage our pupils to act as responsible role models for our school.