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SPIRITUAL, MORAL, SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND CITIZENSHIP
DEVELOPMENT IN THOMAS TALLIS
Spiritual, moral, social, cultural and citizenship development is about personal
development in its fullest sense. It focuses on aspects of students’ learning,
experience, behaviour, beliefs, attitudes and values and prepares them to live and
function effectively in the wider society. The school recognises the significance of the
spiritual, moral, social, cultural and citizenship dimensions of the development of all
its students. It seeks to promote this development through:
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The school's aims
The implementation of its policies
The content and delivery of the whole curriculum
The range of extra-curricular opportunities
The programmes of guidance and support
The relationships between the adult and student members of the school
The school’s commitment to spiritual, moral, social, cultural and citizenship
development is expressed in its aims, and they in turn find expression in the school’s
policies and programme of opportunity for all students. We seek to maintain an
environment in which all aspects of individual worth and potential are valued and
young people are prepared for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life.
The Curriculum
SMSCC development is the responsibility of all curricular areas since it is integral to
the work and processes of the whole school. Some examples follow:
 The teaching and learning of health, drugs, sex education and safety take place
in science
 Aspects of financial capability take place in mathematics
 Design Technology explores the social and moral dilemmas associated with the
global environmental impact of products during design-and-make activities
 History explores ideas, beliefs, attitudes and experiences of people from the past
and issues of cultural diversity
 Students study the implications of sustainable development for their own lives in
geography.
The specific content of both RE and PSHE and the use of materials drawn from a
wide range of resources give special opportunities for students to explore these
aspects of their own development.
In RE, students cover such topics as ‘Am I my brother's keeper?’ in KS3 which
tackles social dilemmas and at KS4 ‘Our World’ focusing on ethics and the
environment.
In PSHE, throughout KS3-5, students learn about areas like healthy eating, rights
and responsibilities, relationships, loss and change, sexual and mental health. The
programme allows the students the space to consider the facts, discuss and listen to
the views of others and form opinions from a wide knowledge base. They are
encouraged to consider and understand the effects of the decisions they make.
Occasionally students are involved in the planning of the curriculum as a response to
issues arising within the student community.
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In both subjects, all five areas of development are made explicit and students are
given the opportunities to consider faith and religion, moral decisions and behaviour,
the relationships and institutions of society and the sense of identity and heritage
derived from cultural awareness.
The Assembly Programme
Thomas Tallis School values the opportunity to gather students together in a variety
of groupings to communicate shared values, to celebrate achievement, to explore
current situations involving moral dilemmas, and to recognise religious or other
festivals or anniversaries. Some recent examples include:
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The celebration of living in a multi-cultural society
Making decisions that affect our own lives
Anti-homophobia
Deaf awareness week
Assemblies are seen as an opportunity to encourage listening, learning, participation,
respect and a sense of occasion as well as demonstrating a commitment to the
fivefold development of students through the topics chosen and shared.
Handbook:Green2006:SMSCC