Spirituality
St Andrew’s Spirituality Statement
As a Church of England VA school, spirituality is embedded within our school and curriculum.
At St Andrew’s we believe in a God who is the source of all life, thereby placing an inherent goodness at the heart of everything. All of life is sacred, to be respected, protected and enjoyed. We develop spirituality through our values of friendship, courage and confidence. ‘The spiritual life,’ wrote Henri Nouwen, ‘does not remove us from the world, it leads us deeper into it.’
In Genesis we are taught that humanity has been made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). Therefore, all people are spiritual beings, with the capacity for a relationship with God. This relationship is rooted in love, for God teaches us to ‘Love one another, as I have loved you’ (John 13:34).
At St Andrew’s, we believe that spirituality concerns a person’s relationship with:
- themselves
- others
- God
- God’s creation
Children and adults are encouraged to develop a strong sense of spirituality to support their own well-being and others. We appreciate and have made spaces of stillness and reflection, so our pupils learn to be mindful and self-aware. We recognise that the development of spirituality is important for everyone, regardless of their faith and background.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Development
SMSC is essential for children and young people’s individual development, as well as the development of society as a whole. At St Andrew's we believe the importance of SMSC is central to the development and growth of pupils as people and at the heart of our intent for education and learning in our school.
Spiritual Development
Encourages pupils to understand characteristics such as courage, strength, hope, acceptance, compassion and love, so that they can face the challenges of human life. At St Andrew's these are at the core of our vision and values: Believe in Friendship, Inspire Courage and Achieve Confidence.
Moral Development
Enables pupils to take an increasingly thoughtful view of what is right and wrong, encouraging characteristics such as kindness, unselfishness and truthfulness. At St Andrew's children reflect on how our values of Friendship and Courage can help us to understand right and wrong.
Social Development
Enables pupils to relate to others and develop qualities of respectfulness, tolerance and a willingness to get involved with the wider community. at St Andrew's children reflect on their values of Friendship and confidence to support others in need and serve our local community.
Cultural Development
Enables pupils to develop a sense of identity by understanding their cultures and cultures of others by engaging in music, arts, traditions and customs. At St Andrew's our curriculum allows children to explore and understand our own and others cultures and traditions and supports children in developing a mutual respect and wider understanding of the world we live in.
Fundamental British Values (FBV)
The DfE have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”
At St Andrew’s School these values are reinforced regularly in the following ways directly and through daily experiences and interactions with staff, parents and pupils and through as many aspects of the curriculum as possible.
What are ‘fundamental British values’?
Schools are required to provide for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of their pupils. As part of this requirement, we are expected to actively promote fundamental British values.
The government defines these as:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
What does this look like at St Andrew’s?
At St Andrew’s, our efforts to promote fundamental British values are designed to prepare children for life in modern Britain.
Ultimately, we aim to help pupils understand:
- The importance of combatting discrimination
- How we can influence decision-making by taking part in democratic processes like voting
- Our freedom under British law to choose different faiths and beliefs
- That the law is there to keep us safe
You can see how we develop our pupils through SMSC and FBV here:
Children also engage with the values through the curriculum, in ways that are suitable for their age and context. For example, in some subjects there are opportunities to think about traditions from different cultures and religions, all children have the chance to be involved in democratic elections for our ‘Circle of Friends’ leaders and the fundraising activities that they plan.
Our school values link closely to British Values as they teach our children to show respect, follow rules, show kindness to others and be courageous and confident to share their views in a respectful environment. Extra-curricular activities such as sport and PE lessons teach children about the importance of rules. Pupil votes, questionnaires and viewpoints are other ways that your children can have their voices heard and learn about democracy.