We knew we were making a difference to learners and now we have been recognised at a national level by being awarded the Gold Level of achievement.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development is the over-arching umbrella that encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum. SMSC is essential to the academic progress of pupils. It doesn’t happen in isolation – it saturates through the school and is linked to everything the school does, its ethos and attitude. It needs to be supported and articulated by school leaders and governors, and should be visible in all day-to-day decisions and relationships.
All areas of the curriculum contribute to SMSC development. Some of this will occur as a result of informal, opportunistic or accidental occurrences, but it cannot be left to chance – it needs to be the foundation of well-planned learning, supported by the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of staff, enabling children and the adults who work with them, to flourish.
... at Holme Grange ‘the children are encouraged to be the best versions of themselves that they can be’
‘It is clear that SMSC is valued in every aspect of school life and it sits so organically within the Holme Grange values. It is clear that the children not only understand these values and use them in the school setting, but also try their best to allow these values to feature in their home lives- a fact that the parents I met with also vouched for.’ Verifier VQ
'SMSC is at the core of everything Holme Grange does, and this it not only evident in the written policies but also present when you visit and is commented on by all'