Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development & Growth
The National Church of England Academy’s vision statement is ‘Life in all its fullness’ and as a result we place great importance on developing the whole student, not just focusing on academic excellence. Therefore we aim to promote SMSC (Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development) throughout all aspects of academy life. This goes hand in hand with our Christian distinctiveness lived out through our ARCH values.
SMSC is delivered both in and outside of the classroom. Whilst religious studies and personal development cover some distinct areas such as crime and consequence, democracy, and media and the news, all subjects contribute to its delivery, making it a core part of our curriculum.
Outside of the classroom SMSC is developed through activities such as:
- extra-curricular clubs
- educational visits
- enrichment days
- sixth form enrichment sessions
- tutor package, including ‘thought for the day’
- Investors in Pupils
- acts of Worship
- ARCH values and mission statement
- community projects
- academy displays focussed on SMSC
- challenges programme
- themes for the week
- student support structure
- information, advice and guidance
Development & Growth
We provide students with life experiences that enhance their personal development, linking with our local community and professional business organisations to support this work. Together with delivering aspirational and educational talks to our students, we take groups on external visits to contextualise learning. Local businesses also support with mock interviews and careers information.
All students have opportunities to work closely alongside businesses through initiatives such as the Ashfield Enterprise Project and the Hucknall Partnership Group. Selected individuals represent the academy at these meetings to share the work of the students with the local community and learn about how these businesses and organisations operate.
Students also undertake work experience, ideally related to the career or education path they wish to follow. They select, apply for and interview for roles to enable them to understand the world of work and find out more about what they may aspire to do in the future.
Being visible in the local community is also very important for the academy. Students and staff perform for and support a range of initiatives including our Cadence choir singing for the Women’s Institute at Newstead Abbey, supporting events for the Annesley Lodge Care Home and fundraising for selected charities each year. These opportunities enrich our students’ experience and help to emphasise our core academy values.
Working very closely with local Hucknall churches is also highly important to the academy. Our chaplaincy team provide the important link to enable celebration event services to be held in local churches, including attendance of Remembrance parades and at Christmas.