Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development is the over-arching umbrella that encompasses personal development across the whole curriculum.

At Pebsham we put SMSC ‘at the heart’ of learning at our school. It requires our pupils to think about the kind of people they aspire to be and the kind of world they aspire to be part of.

Our curriculum and in particular, our outdoor learning and beach learning, supports SMSC.  At Pebsham, we aim to promote outdoor learning and develop a motivational, educational and fun way of supporting our pupils as local citizens. Outdoor learning is a proven way of improving learning; it decreases stresses and anxieties, helps elevate mood and supports pupils emotionally, spiritually and socially.

Children often have too much exposure to digital screens via televisions, computers, and mobile phones. Outdoor learning allows our pupils to put their focus back on nature, their world and on themselves. Pupils who get to experience an outdoor learning environment tend to be more attentive and, therefore, have a better recollection of information being shared with them.

Most children learn better by using their senses. Outdoor environments, such as the beach, provide the perfect place to do this. Instead of viewing different types of plants or wildlife on a computer or TV screen, they can see, smell, hear and touch them. These hands-on experiences cultivate a love of nature and get them interested in our local, natural environment.

The Department for Education published guidance in 2014 on promoting British values in schools to ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. The values were first set out by the government in the ‘Prevent’ strategy in 2011.

All schools have a duty to ‘actively promote’ the fundamental British values of: Democracy, The rule of law, Individual liberty, Mutual respect and Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

At Pebsham, we respect and enable our pupils to encounter these values in their everyday life at our school.  They are embedded in everything that we do as a school.