Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural (SMSC) Development at Glastonbury Thorn School

At Glastonbury Thorn School, we believe that children’s personal growth is just as important as their academic learning. Our school is dedicated to helping every child develop spiritually, morally, socially, and culturally (SMSC) so they can become kind, responsible, and thoughtful members of our community. 

The Glastonbury Thorn curriculum provides children with an introduction to the essential knowledge and skills that they need in order to be aspirational citizens. The curriculum provides our children with the opportunities to become engaged learners, promoting inspirational learning. The learning journeys our children follow allows them to explore endless possibilities, showing an appreciation of human creativity and achievement, both within the community and beyond.

A strong ethos promotes positive learning attitudes and through our Learning Muscles, children develop the confidence to achieve.

Our Core Values

We base everything we do on five key values that we help children learn and live by every day:

• Honesty – telling the truth and being trustworthy

• Kindness – caring for others and being thoughtful

• Being Sensible – making good choices and thinking before acting

• Respect – valuing everyone, their feelings, and the world around us

• Effort – trying our best and never giving up

How We Support SMSC Development

Spiritual Growth

We encourage children to explore their feelings, ask questions, and enjoy moments of quiet reflection. Whether through stories, creative activities, or appreciating nature, we help children develop a sense of wonder about the world.

Moral Understanding

Children learn about right and wrong through stories, discussions, and everyday experiences. We teach them to be honest, kind, and sensible, and to understand how their actions affect others.

Social Skills

Working together and respecting each other are important at Glastonbury Thorn. Our Weekly Vote gives children a chance to have their say and practise making decisions fairly, helping them understand democracy and cooperation.

Cultural Awareness

We celebrate different cultures and traditions throughout the year, helping children appreciate diversity and respect people from all backgrounds and beliefs.

British Values at Glastonbury Thorn School

Our school actively promotes the fundamental British Values to help children grow into responsible citizens:

• Democracy – through the weekly vote, children learn about fairness and taking turns to make decisions.

• Rule of Law – children understand why rules exist to keep everyone safe and happy.

• Individual Liberty – we encourage children to share their ideas and make choices within a supportive environment.

• Mutual Respect – kindness and respect for everyone are at the heart of what we do.

• Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs – children explore and celebrate different cultures and religions with understanding and empathy.

Our Weekly Vote

Every week, our children participate in a vote on different topics, giving them a voice in their school community. This helps develop their confidence, fairness, and understanding of democracy.

We are proud to nurture not only confident learners but also caring, thoughtful individuals ready to make a positive difference in the world.

If you want to know more about our approach to SMSC or any other aspect of life at Glastonbury Thorn School, please get in touch!