SMSC (spiritual, moral social and cultural) and British Values (democracy, rule of law, respect and tolerance, individual liberty) at Crown Hills.
The Vision for SMSC education is at the heart of Crown Hills overall strategy for school transformation and progress. With the pressure of a dual focus on high exam performance and closing the attainment gap, leadership has sent a clear message that high quality, integrated and well-thought-through SMSC provision is part of the answer rather than an additional bolt on to be covered on top of those commitments
This school is rich in cultural diversity and has an extremely positive ‘’vibe‟. You and the governing body work with the community to ensure an education that is both culturally sensitive and educationally robust. At the previous inspection, a pupil commented ‘’we have different cultures but the same values‟. This comment remains appropriate. Pupils relish the opportunities that are offered by learning alongside people who have different experiences. They said they felt ‘’ahead of the game‟ in terms of appreciating life in modern Britain and that their learning was enhanced as a result. Pupils are highly respectful of their new school and behave well. They are polite and cooperative during break, at lunchtime and when moving around the school. They enjoy a range of activities during these social times and are supervised in a positive manner. Those pupils spoken with appreciated the efforts taken to enrich their time out of lessons, including those opportunities for further study at breakfast and at homework clubs. In lessons, pupils respond positively to the respect they are shown by staff and behaviour is good as a result. Crown Hills Community College, Ofsted 2016.
Personal development
One of the key drivers keeping SMSC aspects on the education agenda in the UK and across the world is the challenge of how best to educate young people so that they acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and capabilities – often summed up in the term ‘competences’ – to live as active, productive, responsible and participative citizens in modern democratic societies and is reflected in our mission statement:
‘’ We want every student to be the best that they can be, thrive in the best possible career and contribute positively to society’’.
Aspiration (be the best you can be) Commitment (do what it takes for as long as it takes) and Success (ready to take on the world).
Crown Hills mission statement, 2019
Young people in the UK and across the globe today face an uncertain future: economic instability, stubbornly poor social mobility, the challenges of increasing population diversity and growth, climate change, and the whole raft of pressures that come from rapid globalisation. Schools are where young people spend most of their time, make friends, engage with their peers and feel safe to raise issues. This sense of belonging provides a crucial space for young people to appreciate and explore their place in the world and to access the guidance and support of a committed teaching and pastoral staff.
The question of how schools can meet their crucial role of preparing young people to meet the challenges of living in our fast-paced, uncertain modern societies has been a growing focus. Our students’ SMSC development and academic progress tend to go hand in hand. A sense of SMSC and British Values at Crown Hills follows:
- Our students have an ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people faiths, feelings and values
- Ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and to readily apply this understanding in their own lives, recognise legal boundaries and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England
- Use of a range of social skills in different contexts, for example working and socialising with other pupils, including those from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. As a successful school sport partnership hub-site we have a calendared programme of competitions and festivals, involving working with thousands of young people throughout the city. We have a regionally recognised student leadership programme which helps to facilitate all of the above events
- Understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
- Democracy is embedded at the college. Students are always listened to by staff and are taught to listen carefully and with concern to each other, respecting the right of every individual to have their opinions and voices heard
- The importance of laws whether they are those that govern the class, the school or the country, are consistently reinforced throughout our school day, through our school assemblies and also when dealing with behaviour in school
- Within the college students are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a college we educate and provide boundaries for our students to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and an empowering education
- At the heart of our whole college ethos is a commitment to our values which develop the core attitudes that we believe contribute to individuals being able to live happy and successful lives within the communities to which they belong. Each value is chosen to underpin the need for mutual respect between our students and their peers, staff, their families and their wider community. At the heart of our whole school ethos is a commitment to our values of Aspiration, Commitment and Success– a set of core attitudes that we believe contribute to individuals being able to live happy and successful lives within the communities to which they belong. Each value is underpinned by THIRST (Tolerance, honesty, integrity, respect, support and trust)
- Our core value of Respect ensures tolerance of those who have different faiths and beliefs.
