Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development at Pioneer House High School
At Pioneer House High School we seek to meet the needs of students with regard to their Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development by establishing a strong school ethos supported by
- effective relationships throughout the school
- strong systems and processes to help pupils to manage their own behaviour
- an appropriate broad and balanced curriculum, including Personal, Social and Health Education, Citizenship, Religious Education, Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning, the Arts, Physical Education
- relevant activities beyond the classroom
- meeting requirements for collective worship
Students are encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance. Through carefully structured teaching students develop an understanding that while different people may hold different views about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, all people living in England are subject to its law. The school’s ethos and teaching supports the rule of English civil and criminal; pupils are made aware of the difference between the law of the land and religious law.
Through the SMSC provision at Pioneer House the school will:
- enable students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence
- enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England
- encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative, and to understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely
- enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England
- further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures
- encourage respect for other people and
- encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.
As a result of the promotion of fundamental British values at Pioneer House High School pupils develop:
- an understanding of how they can influence decision-making through the democratic process;
- an appreciation that the law protects individuals and is essential for their wellbeing and safety;
- an understanding that whilst public bodies such as the police and the army can be held to account through Parliament, others such as the courts maintain independence;
- an understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law;
- an acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour; and
- an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.
