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Cultural Capital

What is Cultural Capital?


Cultural capital promotes social mobility and success.



Policy Rationale



  1. Personal Development
  2. Social Development, including political and current affairs awareness
  3. Physical Development
  4. Spiritual Development
  5. Moral Development
  6. Cultural development

Summary of the key areas of coverage for each area of Cultural Capital Development:

Personal development

  1. Citizenship, Personal, Social and Health Education provision;
  2. The school’s wider pastoral framework;
  3. Growth mindset support – resilience development strategies;
  4. Transition support;
  5. Work to develop confidence e.g. role play, supporting peers;
  6. Activities focused on building self-esteem;
  7. Mental Health & well-being provision.

Social Development

  1. Personal, Social and Health Education provision;
  2. Volunteering and charitable work – eg. raising funds for NSPCC; choir singing at Christmas for elderly in Essington residential home
  3. Pupil Voice –School Council, Digital Ambassadors, Peer Mentors, Sports Council;
  4. Child and Family Support Worker support;
  5. Provisions linked to the school’s accreditation of the Mental Health Award
  6. Pastoral support from all staff

Physical Development

  1. The Physical Education curriculum;
  2. Healthy Eating policies and catering provision;
  3. Anti-bullying and safeguarding policies and strategies, including the child-friendly policy
  4. The Health Education dimension of the PSHE programme, including strands on drugs, smoking and alcohol;
  5. The extra-curricular clubs related to sports and well-being;
  6. The celebration of sporting achievement including personal fitness and competitive sport;
  7. Activity-based residential visits.
  8. Design and Technology units related to food preparation and nutrition;

Spiritual Development

  1. The Religious Education Curriculum;
  2. Our collective acts of reflection;
  3. Support for the expression of individual faiths;
  4. Inter-faith and faith-specific activities and speakers;
  5. Visits to religious buildings and centres;

Moral Development

  1. The Religious Education Curriculum;
  2. The school’s Behaviour policy;
  3. Contributions to local, national and international charitable projects.

Cultural Development

  1. Citizenship education through PSHE;
  2. Arts education including Music and Drama;
  3. Access to the languages and cultures of other countries through the Geography and MFL curriculum;
  4. Promotion of racial equality and community cohesion through the school’s ethos, informing all policy and practice.


SMSC and the Curriculum

SMSC is about developing the whole person through Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural experiences.

In our school SMSC is promoted through different subject areas.


We develop our awareness of the power of music by reflecting and expressing our own thoughts and feelings and our willingness to participate and respond to musical and cultural opportunities.


We foster awareness and understanding of a range of believes and practises in our community and the wider world. SMSC within RE, helps pupils develop their sense of identity and belonging in an increasingly diverse society.


We prepare for the challenges of living and learning in a technology enriched world, making clear guidelines about the ethical use of the internet.


We study a variety of genres which develops our awareness of moral and social issues, while increasing confidence and expertise in language which is an important aspect of our individual and social identity.


We appreciate that mathematics contributes to our everyday life and by working together we are able to achieve better results. We explore patterns and mathematical relationships using logical reasoning to help us make decisions and choices.


We are encouraged to reflect on the wonder of the natural world. By showing an awareness of the way science can effect society and the environment, we show respect for different opinions.


We appreciate the achievements of past societies and the motivation of individuals, recognising that actions have consequences, by considering the results of events and decisions made in history.


We create opportunities to reflect on the diverse nature of our world, thinking about changing landscapes and the environment and developing our awareness of issues surrounding climate change.


We use art to develop our aesthetic appreciation, exploring feelings of awe and wonder. Through the study of artists, we learn about spiritual and religious themes such as war.

Design Technology:

During our investigations, we have opportunities to work as a team, share equipment and recognise each other’s strengths.

Physical Education:

Through activities involving teamwork, cooperation, competition, rules, self-discipline and fair play, we develop the skills of self-reflection, personal awareness and challenge.

At East Dene Primary School we are continually trying to develop our children’s Spirtual, Moral, Social and Cultural development as we feel this plays a key role in developing our children as a whole and helps them become respectful and responsible young people. Over the year children take part in a variety of events and activities to support this. To find out more about this please take a look at our SMSC calendar for this year below.

Values-based Education

At East Dene Primary School, we are very excited to introduce our Values-based curriculum. It is an approach that creates a strong learning environment for children, and develops their social and relationship skills that last throughout their lives. Through meeting with parents, staff and school council, we have created six values that will be incorporated throughout the children’s learning. These values are:

  1. Respect
  2. Friendship
  3. Resilience
  4. Kindness
  5. Responsibility
  6. Empathy

Each half term, one of these values will be celebrated, and will be incorporated into the children’s learning.  Using these values, children will discover the very best of themselves, which enables them to be good citizens and prepare them for their lives in the future.