We consider the social, moral, spiritual and cultural education and development of our students as the most important part of our duty: it is crucial if the young men who attend our school are to take their place in society and maximise their life chances. SMSC and British Values have always been important and embedded into the school day: these values truly are at the heart of our work and we are encouraged to see these areas now part of the national initiatives across all schools.
The responsibility for this work is shared across the school leadership and all staff are involved in reviewing our programmes and suggesting new initiatives. In this way it is kept fresh and current and alive, Students also contribute. Our student population is made up of multiple ethnicities and religions as well students with a wide range of disabilities or conditions and from a wide range of social backgrounds. This inclusivity really helps ensure we ‘live’ equality, tolerance, compassion and the rule of law.
Spiritual Development
- Students reflect on their own experiences and behaviours in set periods every day.
- Theme of the week covers a very broad range of issues including religious perspectives and celebrations plus environments, human and political.
- Assemblies convey ideas for reflection that mirror important world events arising and / the Themes of the Week.
- As a school, the concept of encouraging students to bring their own experiences into lessons and compare and contrast information with personal experience is embedded.
- Therapeutic sessions are available to all students in the form of Occupational Play Therapy and Music Therapy.
- Our Library contains a ‘self-help’ section where students can browse leaflets and engage with workbooks to explore their personal issues, situations and worries.
Self-Evaluation? Outstanding.
Moral Development
- School Values of Respect and Compassion are rigorously promoted and real-life examples in society and among students discussed and presented at every opportunity.
- The criminal Law is taught explicitly. Students who have already encountered difficulties with the law are given intensive support and energetically inspired to become aspirational for themselves.
- The school rules replicate some of the rules of law.
- The school’s ‘Circle of Compassion’ is promoted, showing the consequences of unlawful and unkind actions.
- Every student has a personalised ‘Incredible 5-Point Scale that illustrates his own challenges and the consequences if he acts on those challenges.
- All students study, at a level to suit them, British Values and PHSE explicitly.
Self-Evaluation? Outstanding.
Social Development
- The students engage in activities with other schools, extra-curricular, hold tea-parties and events for the elderly local citizens, volunteer to work at the local foodbank and rescue animal farm; engage in work experience and are explicitly taught about positive and social behaviour in the community via a busy schedule of community learning rips and visits.
- We have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination.
Self-Evaluation? Outstanding.
Cultural Development
- Termly (at last) visits to the Theatre.
- Half-termly trips to historical, religious or cultural sites of interest (local and further afield).
- An elected school leadership.
- Voting for charities and engaging in regular charity events.
- Student voice questionnaire.
- Student council termly meetings.
- Student voice contributions to area and subject reviews across the school.
- Promotion of Speaking and Listening debates to develop cultural understanding, social interaction and communication skills.
- All students study, at their level, History and/or the World about them.
- All students study, at a level to suit them, The Arts Award programme.
- Music lessons are available to all.
- All students participate in cultural concerts during the during the year.
- Visiting arts workshop groups nourish the students’ cultural experiences.
Self-Evaluation? Outstanding.
The Rule of Law
This is further emphasised by our emphasis on:
- High expectations for attendance, punctuality and behaviour.
- Rules and attitudes to keep us safe including classroom and school rules.
- eSafety, railway and road safety.
- The roles of all those who help us.
- Opportunities to celebrate the lives of inspirational people who have influenced the course of history.
- An annual ‘International collapsed timetable day’.
