SMSC
Educating the whole child
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development
January 2006
Contents
1 Introduction 3
2 Spiritual Development 4
3 Moral Development 8
4 Social Development 12
5 Cultural Development 15
6 SMSC across the curriculum 19
7 Assessing SMSC in the primary school 27
8 Citizenship in secondary schools 34
9 The Christian ethos of the school and sex and relationships education 38
10 Resources and websites 39
1 Introduction
Since the 1988 Education reform Act schools have had a statutory duty to ‘promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society’. The Education (Schools) Act 1992 underlined the importance of this duty by making the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development an aspect to be included in Ofsted inspections. In 2003, the publication of the report ‘Excellence and Enjoyment’ for primary schools, further underpinned the need for schools to be concerned with the education of the whole child.
‘….primary education is about children experiencing the joy of discovery, solving problems, being creative in writing, art, music, developing their self‑confidence as learners and maturing socially and emotionally.’ (Excellence and Enjoyment)
This same report encouraged primary schools to develop their distinctive character in meeting the needs of the pupils in the particular communities in which they are set.
The Church of England has acknowledged its key role in education with church schools now having approximately 900,000 pupils across the nation. The Dearing report “The Way ahead” published in 2001 states that:
“ (new) Church schools must be distinctively Christian and inclusive communities, seeking to bring children from different backgrounds together as a distinctive expression of Christ’s commandment to love one another…” (The Way ahead)
The materials included in this section of “The Complete
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development
January 2006
Contents
1 Introduction 3
2 Spiritual Development 4
3 Moral Development 8
4 Social Development 12
5 Cultural Development 15
6 SMSC across the curriculum 19
7 Assessing SMSC in the primary school 27
8 Citizenship in secondary schools 34
9 The Christian ethos of the school and sex and relationships education 38
10 Resources and websites 39
1 Introduction
Since the 1988 Education reform Act schools have had a statutory duty to ‘promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society’. The Education (Schools) Act 1992 underlined the importance of this duty by making the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development an aspect to be included in Ofsted inspections. In 2003, the publication of the report ‘Excellence and Enjoyment’ for primary schools, further underpinned the need for schools to be concerned with the education of the whole child.
‘….primary education is about children experiencing the joy of discovery, solving problems, being creative in writing, art, music, developing their self‑confidence as learners and maturing socially and emotionally.’ (Excellence and Enjoyment)
This same report encouraged primary schools to develop their distinctive character in meeting the needs of the pupils in the particular communities in which they are set.
The Church of England has acknowledged its key role in education with church schools now having approximately 900,000 pupils across the nation. The Dearing report “The Way ahead” published in 2001 states that:
“ (new) Church schools must be distinctively Christian and inclusive communities, seeking to bring children from different backgrounds together as a distinctive expression of Christ’s commandment to love one another…” (The Way ahead)
The materials included in this section of “The Complete