SMSC - Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Awareness

SMSC is about developing the whole person. As our pupils move through the school, we are committed at Hovingham School, to developing not only their academic standards and levels of achievement, but also their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.

We aim to provide opportunities for our children to form their own identity; sense of place and purpose, giving them the confidence to question and discover who they are in the world and face the exciting challenges that lie ahead. Being a church school adds another dimension to our SMSC provision as our Christian ethos permeates all aspects of school life and underpins our values and mission.

British values are embedded in the work of the school and they are defined as:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

Find out more here about SMSC across the curriculum.

We have close links with our local church and collective worship is held there each week. This is led by members of the church and also members of the Methodist church too.

http://www.hovingham.org.uk/allsaintsChurch.htm

SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural)

What is SMSC?

SMSC stands for spiritual, moral, social and cultural.  All schools in England must show how well their pupils develop in SMSC.

Spiritual

The spiritual development of pupils is shown by their:

• Use of candles for reflection    

• Listening to and creating music to aid thinking/reflection

• Prayer

• Reflecting on the outstanding beauty in our world - awe and wonder

• Responding to 'big questions' about life and living, raised by the teachers

• Asking 'big questions' about life and living, raised by the children/young people

• Use of a reflection/spiritual focus/space in the classrooms.

Giving children opportunities to explore spirituality, we aim to give our children opportunities to explore spirituality across many areas...

This quote from Henry Ford puts it well: "When I use the word spirituality, I don't necessarily mean religion; I mean whatever it is that helps you feel connected to something that is larger than yourself."

Moral

The moral development of pupils is shown by their:

• ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England

• understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions

• interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues.

Social

The social development of pupils is shown by their:

• use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds

• willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively

• acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; the pupils develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

Cultural

The cultural development of pupils is shown by their:

• understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others

• understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain

• knowledge of Britain's democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain

• willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities

• interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity, and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities.

You can find out more at http://www.doingsmsc.org.uk

      SMSC at Hovingham CE Primary School

• Daily act of collective worship, led by various teaching staff and members of the church. 
• Opportunities within Collective Worship and RE to discuss and reflect on moral issues. Cross-curricular opportunities are taken where appropriate to address these issues too.

• Opportunities to mix with pupils across the age range develop pupils socially, raising their confidence and self-esteem. Links with St Hilda’s occur each week. Y4-Y6 have the opportunity to join a 3 day residential visit, this year to Edinburgh. Pupils have also had opportunity to take place in a range of cluster sporting events. Pupils are given a variety of opportunities to cooperate well with each other and resolve conflicts effectively. Pupils accept and engage with British Values which are taught through the curriculum subjects as well as through Collective Worship.

• C

  urriculum opportunities develop pupil understanding of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others and also develop understanding of appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield.

• Pupils learn about Britain's democratic parliamentary system and its role in shaping our history and values. Opportunities to take part in a range of activities in music and the arts develop pupils culturally. Pupils learn French which is taught by a native French speaker. Pupils gain an interest in exploring and an improved understanding of and respect for different faiths and cultures through their learning in a wide range of curriculum areas. 

5th June 2017 - Visit from the Bishop of Selby

We were delighted to have Bishop Thompson visit us on Monday.  He led the school in worship then spent time answering questions from the children in both classes.  The questions posed by the children were responded to warmly by the Bishop and shed light on many aspects of his work.  Following a meeting with Mr Wilson and Mr Pynn the Bishop then led a blessing under the new seated canopy area in the playground.  More details about his visit will follow next week when Howard Class unveil the winners of the "Journalist for a Day" initiative!

26th January 2017 - York Minster Trip

Hovingham School arranged a visit to York Minster for all of our KS2 pupils. The visit included a session at the Minster’s Learning Centre, followed by a tour of York Minster itself. This was a great opportunity for the pupils to Learn about York Minster and our place within the Diocese. 

"The school was invited for a school trip to York Minster, as one of so many in the dioceses of York.

The structure of the Minster has been replaced with 3 structures and has had lots fires. While we were there we were shown how people were baptised and what you have to do to baptise somebody and also what a dioceses was.

We were shown around the Minster. We also were told how they cleaned the great window and it takes them 10 years to clean one massive window! To clean all of them it will take 150 years! York Minster took 250 years to build starting the current building during Anglo-Saxon times.

We finished our trip with an act of collective worship by candle light, in the crypt!"

By Felix Dodds-Aston - Y4

22nd April 2016 - Terrific Tag Rugby

Last Friday, Y5 and Y6 took part in a tag rugby competition at Ryedale School. As well as the excitement of taking part in the competition, there was much excitement over the new team kit which was jointly funded by Friends of Hovingham School and St. Hilda’s School Fund. The children all looked amazing and it really brought them together as a team. The standard of play was excellent and it was noticeable how play improved over the five games. We finished in a very respectable fourth place. As always, our enthusiasm and sportsmanship were excellent. Well done everyone. 

15th April 2016 - York Magistrates

On Friday, KS2 had a very special visit from three magistrates: two from York and one from Scarborough. They talked to us all day about what they do, how to be a good citizen and what would happen to you if you committed a crime.
We also acted out our own youth court, all having a part to play. Then we needed to decide if Samantha Sinclair (the defendant played by Bea F.) was guilty or not. The three magistrates (played by Tom H., Kaitlyn Y. and Lydia C.) came to the conclusion that she was guilty and so the actual magistrates told us about consequences and punishments. (By Effie)