North Oxfordshire Academy > Learning > Personal Development and Careers > PSHCE

SMSC at NOA

What is Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education?

Schools are required to provide for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of their students, this includes actively promoting fundamental British values.

SMSC is concerned with "the search for meaning and purpose in life and for values by which to live". This can be seen in a variety of contexts across North Oxfordshire Academy. For example; during tutor time, extended Tutor theme mornings, lessons within the curriculum and Enrichment clubs and activities.

Spiritual Education

Students spiritual development is shown by their:

beliefs, religious or otherwise, which inform their perspective on life & their interest in & respect for different people's feelings & values
sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them, including the intangible
use of imagination and creativity in their learning
willingness to reflect on their experiences

Moral Education

Students moral development is shown by their:

ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and their readiness to apply this understanding in their own lives
understanding of the consequences of their actions
interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues

Social Education

Students social development is shown by their:

use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with students from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
willingness to participate in a variety of social settings, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
interest in, and understanding of, the way communities and societies function at a variety of levels

Cultural Education

Students cultural development is shown by their:

understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage
willingness to participate in, and respond to, for example, artistic, musical, sporting, mathematical, technological, scientific and cultural opportunities
interest in exploring, understanding of, and respect for cultural diversity and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities

Social Moral Spiritual Cultural