SMSC and British Values

At Hall School, pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and, within this, the promotion of fundamental British values, are at the heart of our work.

As well as being integrated into all phases of the curriculum, these values and attitudes are promoted by all staff and provide a model of behaviour for our pupils.

british values.pdf

'British Values' have been identified as:

Democracy

We empower our pupils by giving them opportunities to make choices about the things that they think are important. We ensure that pupils are given a 'voice' to communicate, which could take the form of PECS, Signalong, objects of reference, photos, eye gaze, body language or the spoken word. Everyone's voice is valued, and pupils are encouraged to listen and respond to those around them.

We have a Segway Group, which is made up of the Student Council members (elected by their peers), who meet weekly to discuss and contribute to the decision making processes at Hall School. Other topics covered include Anti-bullying, E-safety and appropriate interactions.

Rule of Law

We involve pupils in identifying expectations of behaviour; helping pupils to make decisions and choices that are acceptable to the school community and society at large. Pupils are helped to learn to manage their behaviour and take responsibility for their actions. Staff are committed to providing a consistent and predictable environment within the school and beyond. We work closely with outside agencies such as the Castle Museum and Norwich Playhouse to further develop social skills out in the community.

Individual Liberty

Pupils are encouraged to become good and valued citizens. We do this by supporting each pupil to become as independent as possible. We demonstrate that everyone has rights; this includes the right to say 'Yes' or 'No' to ideas or activities. Some pupils will be able to take responsibility for particular roles and to understand that with certain rights comes a level of responsibility. Learning to do things independently is an important part of learning to understand yourself. We support others by participating in charitable events such as Red Nose Day/Comic Relief and Children in Need. We believe that creating a caring and helpful environment and to be independent can boost and nurture self-esteem.

Mutual Respect

We promote each pupil’s inclusion in activities, settings and locations that are appropriate to them. Within school, pupils work with a range of people, and interactions with others are always positively promoted. This may include working with students from other schools, sports coaches, and theatre groups such as Slanted Dance etc. The curriculum is personalised and planned for pupils and may include transitioning within the range of resources and places on the site and going into the community to meet with a range of people in a variety of situations which include: sports events, community events and shared participation with other schools/colleges, such as the Special Schools Proms.

Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

We are part of a school and local community where each person is respected and valued equally without regard to ability, gender, faith, heritage or race.

Cultural appreciation and development forms part of our curriculum. We place great emphasis on providing encounters and participation in events and celebrations to broaden all pupils’ experiences and awareness of others.

Our Assemblies help all pupils to find out about themselves and others linking their lives to the communities in which they belong. The themes cover areas such as: friendships, helping others and celebrations from a range of faiths and world events.

Pupils are encouraged to experience British Culture through our curriculum themes. For example, pupils have visited many local places. As a school, we take part in sporting activities in school and at the UEA which helps to instil ‘fair play’ and engender a ’team spirit’.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC)

Hall School has a strong commitment to the personal and social development of all pupils. The school vision and values, put together by all the staff, supports spiritual, moral, social and cultural characteristics in all pupils.

Spiritual development is when we:

Explore beliefs and experience; respect faiths, feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect.

Moral development is when we:

Recognise right and wrong; respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views.

Social development is when we:

Use a range of social skills; participate in the local community; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict; engage with the 'British values' of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance.

Cultural development is when we:

Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain's parliamentary system; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity.

In our school pupil’s SMSC development is seen for example in:

Taking part in a range of activities regarding social skills
Developing an awareness and respect for diversity
Developing an appreciation of theatre
Developing an understanding of right and wrong.
Developing the communication skills to make choices about likes/dislikes in school then in wider community visits.
Taking part in sporting opportunities.
Taking part in cultural opportunities.
Taking part in artistic opportunities.

SMSC is embedded throughout the curriculum at Hall School. This integrated approach ensures that aspects of SMSC is considered in all subject areas. The senior leadership team audits SMSC and Governors monitor it across school.

Beyond the Curriculum

We are also committed as a school to developing SMSC beyond the curriculum. This is done through:

Arts, Music and Cultural Specialists visits to school over the year, such as Slanted Dance, Shakespeare For Schools and The Garlic Theatre.
Arts, Music and Cultural community visits such as Frozen Light, Sing-Up Concerts and The Playhouse.
International Partnerships student exchanges with schools in Poland and Portugal.
Lunchtime clubs such as Signing Choir, Pamper Club and Sensory Drama Club.

Pamper Club