Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development

British Values

At Mission Grove Primary School, we pride ourselves on the extent to which we develop our children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. We do this intrinsically, in ways that promote British values, so that our children become well rounded, mature individuals with great respect and tolerance.

We frequently recognise and celebrate the diversity and achievements of our students. Our week begins with an assembly to either discuss topical issues, recognise different religious festivals, or teach children about various national holidays and events. Certificates are awarded during weekly merit assemblies to bolster self-esteem, whilst examples of the children’s work are regularly shared on our website, newsletter, school app and twitter account.  

We are particularly proud of the way we cultivate the student voice at Mission Grove, teaching the children a sense of democracy from a young age. There are a range of different councils, such as the School Council and Eco Council, and members are elected within each class. Children are encouraged to discuss their opinions on whatever topics they feel are important. This medium is also used to establish different practices within the school, such as each class’s Eco Code. We also start each year by promoting fundamental British values through our whole-school elections for the Year 6 captains.

Every half term, classes either attend a trip or receive a visit relevant to their curriculum topic. As well as enhancing learning, these events help to develop the children’s social skills through interaction and participation. Be it using public transport, taking a tour of a museum, or engaging with a wildlife expert, the children benefit greatly from such experiences beyond the classroom.

As a school, we regularly establish links with the local community, such as participating in the E17 Art trail or visiting the local fire service, and use them to foster both creativity and citizenship. The children develop a keen awareness of the diverse community in which they live, and learn about ways to contribute to it.

A clear and structured behaviour policy enables children to understand from an early age that actions have consequences; this approach is applied consistently across the school, as every class follows the exact steps, as outlined in the policy. This ensures there are clear boundaries in place, for the sake of our children’s wellbeing and safety. We believe this is a vital part of our British values, as it teaches children about the rule of law.

Finally, we promote acceptance of different faiths through the teaching of RE (religious education). We expose the children to different faiths, their objects and places of worship, and do so in a sensitive and unbiased manner.

All in all, we are exceptionally proud of the experiences we provide our children, both inside and outside the classroom, and fully uphold our school motto ‘Respect Yourself, Respect Others.’