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Spiritual Moral Social and Cultural Development (S.M.S.C)

Where can we find evidence in curriculum subjects? Some examples

Subject

We promote spiritual

development

We promote moral

development

We promote social

development

We promote cultural

development

We promote Fundamental British Values

Maths and

Numeracy

By making connections

between pupils’ numeracy

skills and real life.

E.g. pie charts could compare how a child in Africa spends her day with how children in the UK spend their time.

By considering pattern, order, symmetry and scale both man made and in the natural world

By engaging pupils playfully. E.g. in unequal shares of resources, why might someone be upset if they received less than other people?

By reflecting on data that has moral and ethical implications.

E.g. pupils might consider the difference in amounts of money spent on non-essentials compared with food aid/water aid

By the sharing of resources within the classroom, the negotiating of responses and group problem solving

By analysing social data. E.g. on health care, poverty, bullying

By asking questions about the history of maths. E.g. ‘What did the Egyptians, Greeks and Indians discover that we still use in maths today?’

 

English and

Literacy

In responding to a poem, story or text; pupils can be asked ‘I wonder what you think happens next?’ ‘How would you feel if you were the person in the story?’ ‘Where have you met these ideas before?’

By appreciating the beauty of language

By exploring stimulus for

thinking about the

consequences of right and

wrong behaviour; pupils can speculate and apply their learning to their own lives.

When they do this they are

developing their speaking,

listening and higher order

thinking skills.

By considering different

perspectives.

By supporting conceptual and language development

through an understanding of and debates about social issues

By providing opportunities for talk in a range of settings

By pupils telling stories from their own cultures and backgrounds creating the idea that ‘everyone has a story to tell’

By providing opportunities for pupils to engage with texts from different cultures

 

Science

By demonstrating openness to the fact that some answers cannot be provided by Science.

By creating opportunities for pupils to ask questions about how living things rely on and contribute to their

environment.

By pupils plotting the stars in relation to their location and open up questions about the size of the universe and how it might

have been formed

By offering pupils the chance to consider the wonder of the natural world and the inventions which have made the world a better place.

By considering that not all

developments have been

good because they have

caused harm to the

environment and to people.

By encouraging pupils to

speculate about how science can be used both for good and evil.

By using opportunities during Science lessons to explain how to keep other people safe and how they might protect a younger or

vulnerable young person.

By exploring the social

dimension of scientific

advances e.g. environmental concerns, medical advances, energy processes

By asking questions about the ways in which scientific discoveries from around the world have affected our lives.

There is a rich heritage of

scientific discoveries from

Hindu, Egyptian and Muslim traditions

 

Design & Technology

By enjoying and celebrating personal creativity

By reviewing and evaluating created things

By raising questions about the effect of technological

change on human life and

the world around them

By exploring dilemmas that

individuals may face and

developing practical solutions to these problems

By considering cultural

influences on design

By asking questions about

functionality v aesthetics

 

History

By considering how things

would be different if the

course of events had been

different. E.g. what

difference would it have

made if the Romans had not invaded Britain?

By looking at local history and investigating the reasons why there is a landmark, building or museum.

By speculating about how we mark important events from history and the people who shaped them.

By exploring the results of right and wrong behaviour in the past

By considering some of the

characteristics of people who have had a bad influence and caused suffering to others. What have others done to stop injustice? Are there examples from their own

local area?

By going beyond the facts

and asking pupils to make

hypotheses and pose

questions such as ‘what if…?’

‘what would have turned a

tragedy into a triumph?’

By giving the trigger for

discussions about how groups and communities organised themselves in the past.

By considering questions

about social structure in the past. E.g. What might pupils say about the rights of children in earlier times? Is it important that society looks after young children? Are there people who still don’t get a fair deal?

By encouraging pupils to talk to their parents and

grandparents. E.g. when learning about World War Two

By exploring local history and under researched history and history around us

By investigating how culture is shaped by history, exploring the ‘cultural heritage’ and in

particular the Christian influence on British culture.

By taking pupils on visits to heritage sites.

 

Geography

By using Google maps and

asking pupils to imagine what it might be like to live in different parts of the world.

By making links with history when exploring the

environment and speculating on why the landscape is as it is.

By comparing their lives with pupils living in other countries or other part of the UK, possibly through a schools linking programme

By considering how people

treat the environment; posing questions such as, ‘How are we changing our surroundings – are some things for the better and others for the worse?’ Who benefits and who suffers? What should be our personal response to

these? Who should look after our environment?

By working towards an Eco

School status

By providing positive and

effective links with the wider community, both locally and through linking with other schools with different demographics both in the UK and globally

By considering social

Responsibility. E.g. care for the environment, impact of traffic on the local area, tourism

By making links with other

countries through schools

linking and cultural theme

days.

By exploring links through the British Council and European Union.

By exploring cultures that

have had, and still have an impact on the local area.

 

Languages

By exploring the beauty of

languages from around the

world

By exploring the way

language is constructed

By helping pupils to have an accurate and truthful

understanding of another

culture

By learning the skill of

communicating in different

ways

By exploring different social conventions e.g. forms of address

By appreciating the language and customs of others

By exploring the literature and culture of other countries

By taking part in exchange

visits or cultural occasions

 

RE

By experiencing wonder and joy through learning about and from stories, celebrations, rituals and different expressions of religion and worldviews

By asking and responding to questions of meaning and purpose

By considering questions

about God and evaluating

truth claims

By exploring spiritual practices such as worship and prayer, and considering the impact of

these on believers and any

relevance to their own life

By exploring morality including rules, teachings and commands such as Our Golden Rules, the ten

commandments, the sayings (hadith) of Muhammad

By investigating the

importance of service to

others in Sikhism, Hinduism and Buddhism

By exploring religious

perspectives and responses to evil and suffering in the world

 

By exploring the qualities

which are valued by a

civilised society –

thoughtfulness, honesty,

respect for difference,

independence and

interdependence

By asking questions about the social impact of religion

By exploring similarities and differences between faiths and cultures

By learning about UK saints and those to which their school might be named after

By engaging with text,

artefacts and other sources from different cultures and religious backgrounds

 

Art & Design

By providing plenty of rich

opportunities for pupils both to explore the spiritual dimension and natural phenomena. E.g.

Northern Lights.

By exploring different artists’ interpretations of a key figure or event and asking what the artist was trying to convey.

By promoting the process of ‘reviewing and evaluating’.

By exploring how emotions

and inner feelings are

expressed though painting,

sculpture and architecture.

By responses to and use of visual images to evoke a

range of emotions

By sharing of resources.

By exploring social conflict

and resolution.

By exploring art as a powerful social tool e.g. in advertising, in representing particular groups

By experiencing a wide range of creative media from around the world.

By working towards the ‘Arts Mark’ award.

By developing aesthetic and critical awareness

 

Music

By allowing pupils to show

their delight and curiosity in creating their own sounds.

By considering how music

makes one feel and can

‘move us’ deeply

By exploring how music can convey human emotions such as sadness, joy, anger…

By appreciating the self-discipline required to learn a musical instrument

By exploring how s an

orchestra works together

By discussing what would

happen if musicians in a

band/group didn’t cooperate

By appreciating how music is used in different ways in

different settings e.g. for

pleasure, for worship, to help people relax

By giving all pupils an

opportunity to learn a musical instrument and to take part regularly in singing.

By encouraging pupils to listen and respond to traditions from around the world.

By appreciating musical

expression from different times and places

 

Drama

By allowing for insight, self-expression and the chance to walk in someone else’s shoes.

By expressing what it feels like to be wronged and what remedies might make things better for the injured

By exploring similarities and differences and how respect for others can be expressed.

By building self- esteem and encouraging self-worth

By taking different roles from other backgrounds

By using different dramatic

conventions to encourage

empathy

 

Computing

By wondering at the power of the digital age e.g. use of the internet

By understanding the

advantages and limitations of ICT

By using the internet as a gateway to big life issues

By exploring the moral issues surrounding the use of data

By considering the benefits

and potential dangers of the internet – eg campaigns for charities and injustice as a force for good. Cyber bullying as a danger.

By considering the vision of those involved in developing the web

By links through digital media services with other schools and communities

By highlighting ways to stay safe when using on line services and social media

By being prepared to work

with technology to forge new relationships

By discussing the impact of ICT on the ways people

communicate

By exploring human

achievements and creativity in relation to worldwide

communications

By developing a sense of awe and wonder at human

Ingenuity

 

PE

By delighting in movement,

particularly when pupils are able to show spontaneity

By taking part in activities such as dance, games and gymnastics which help pupils to become more focused, connected and creative.

By being aware of one’s own strengths and limitations

By discussing fair play and the value of team work.

By developing qualities of self-discipline, commitment and perseverance

By developing positive

sporting behaviour

By developing a sense of

belonging and self esteem

through team work

By developing a sense of

community identity through

taking part in inter school

events

By learning about the history of sports, and where they originate from

By making links with national and global sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics

By exploring rituals surrounding sporting activities

 

Adapted from ‘Spiritual Moral Social and Cultural Development.’ Mary Myatt. With thanks