Subjects

Aim

This area relates to the beliefs, feelings and emotions through which students acquire worthwhile insights into their own lives.  All areas of the curriculum may contribute to spiritual development.  Although education and spiritual development are not synonymous, school experiences can make a significant contribution to spiritual development.

Objectives

At The Matthew Arnold School the students will be provided with opportunities to develop their spiritual understanding by experiencing a curriculum which will:

• Develop their self-esteem, self-knowledge and belief in themselves;
• Allow them to develop a range of personal values and beliefs based on a sense of curiosity and respect towards their own and other beliefs;
• Explore the spiritual values of others through discussion, debate, deeper thinking, stories, drama, music, art and religious education to name just a few;
• Allow them to express themselves in a variety of ways and give them time to reflect on their own experiences;
• Allow them to understand, express, use and control feelings and emotions as well as encouraging empathy in terms of relationships with others.

In Practice:

1. A religious study programme which develops self-esteem and knowledge and an ability to reflect on and develop individuals’ own spiritual values;
2. The wellbeing curriculum which utilises weekly lessons for all year groups, tutoring to involve all  in opportunities for themed discussion, reading (both fiction and non-fiction) and competitive quizzes to encourage learning and develop an awareness of core values as soon as students arrive;
3. An assembly programme to address the spiritual aspect of quiet and reflection – in particular using past and present role models from the world and encouraging community participation;
4. A student support structure that is focused on learning and providing appropriate information advice and guidance for students as well as opportunities to explore pathways of development;
5. Educational enrichment trips, creative partnerships and visiting speakers provide students with a range of experiences, which may promote a sense of awe and wonder about the world;
6. A reflective approach to learning through formative assessment techniques – students having ownership and understanding of where they are, where they need to get to and how they are to do it;
7. A rewards system developing student self-esteem through assemblies, certificates, postcards home and  awards at all levels;
8. Displays of student work bring a sense of pride in the work students produce and therefore a sense of expressing the talents of the individual;
9. The use of the Student Voice school council to involve students in the life of the school. For example, student responses to the ‘You said …We did’ programme.

Aim

Moral development refers to the students’ knowledge, understanding, intentions, attitudes and behaviour in relation to what is right and wrong.  The school has a well-established behaviour policy and staff promote a supportive approach to the management of challenging behaviour.

Objectives 

Objectives of the code of conduct are to promote the concept of excellent behaviour by being:

• Mutual respect by students and teachers
• Kind and considerate
• Helpful to others and listening to what they have to say
• Quiet around the school holding appropriate conversations
• Committed to school and classroom rules
• Committed to a healthy, safe and environmentally friendly school
• Committed to looking neat, clean and tidy with a pride in our uniform
• Equipped and ready for learning

In Practice:

1. Clear models of good behaviour from staff and senior students and reinforcement of school and classroom expectations both inside and outside of lessons.
2. A student support department and structure used by all staff that is focused on conflict resolution and restorative justice.
3. Weekly themed tutor time and discussions based on current moral issues, where appropriate, across the school community in tutor time and across all lessons.
4. The wellbeing curriculum for all year groups.
5. Assembly themes on current moral issues, developed and reinforced during tutor time.
6. Termly fund raising activities for nominated charities, in addition to national charity events which give rise to discussion around morality.
7. The use of students in teams across the school.
8. Supervised and filtered access to the internet together with regular assemblies focused on e-safety and related issues. 
9. Local, national and global incidents, in addition to existing programmes of study, give an opportunity for teaching about morality and behaviour during deep learning weeks across the school and demonstrates the flexibility of our teaching programme.

Aim

Social development relates to the skills and personal qualities necessary for individuals to live and function effectively in society.

Objectives

Students will be encouraged to:

• Maintain and develop relationships within the school working successfully with other students and adults in the school community;
• Respond to the opportunities being offered, to show initiative and to take responsibility for their own learning in the school community;
• Gain an understanding of the wider society through their family and carers, the school, local and wider communities;
• Actively participate in the school community and beyond into the wider community outside of school.

In Practice

1. Interact with all staff in  school and with external partners of the school in an appropriate and outstanding manner.
2. The use of students in teams across the school.
3. Elected Student Voice representative to feedback views, ideas and concerns to their tutor groups and to the senior leadership team.
4. Experience, in programmes of study, the development of skills in speaking, listening and key reflective work where students have the ability to learn both with teacher interaction and support, but increasingly with more independent study.
5. The wellbeing curriculum for all students.
6. Experience excellent IAG in school through pastoral and career advice in which all staff are involved throughout the year.  Subject specific advice is given at certain milestones of a student’s life at the school by a dedicated careers advisor to offer support on career/further or higher education planning.

Aim

Cultural development refers to pupils increasing understanding and response to those elements, which give societies, and groups their unique character.  The school will promote the cultural traditions of our own area and the ethnic and cultural diversity of the world.

Objectives

The students will be encouraged to:

• Appreciate, understand and respect aspects of their own and other cultural environments in terms of beliefs, values, attitudes, customs, knowledge and skills;
• Recognise that similarities and differences may exist between different societies and groups;
• Experience a range of cultural activities in terms of literature, music, technology, art and design, dance, drama, sport and other media;
• Broaden, develop and enrich their interests and insights through interacting with opportunities the school and the wider community provides.

In Practice 

At The Matthew Arnold School we encourage:

1. Educational visits at home and abroad to experience other cultures and ways of life.
2. Educational visits to places of interest such as: libraries; museums; galleries; theatres; places of worship and other educational establishments – schools colleges and universities – in order to better understand other cultures and ways of life.
3. The wellbeing curriculum for all year groups.
4. Collective worship and assemblies – a themed approach that give rise to many opportunities to explore SMSC and cultural diversity.  Other events are also celebrated with drama, art, dance and presentations along with specific services such as Remembrance, annual carol services and celebrations of Easter and other religious festivals: Diwali, Hanukkah.
5. Topic work across the school which explores “culture” in all its various forms in relation to specific subject areas.
6. Access to the Internet in order to explore cultures and activities as extension learning

• To undertake audits and observations of department developments in SMSC provision.
• To promote and facilitate enrichment events in school.
• To organise themes for the weekly focus in tutor group time linked to an assembly programme.
• To promote student voice opportunities and the related teams in order to maximise student participation.
• To encourage staff and students to be involved in enrichment activities which are spiritually, morally, socially and culturally engaging both inside and outside the classroom.

Our aim is to have a whole school emotional wellbeing approach that moves beyond learning and teaching to cover all aspects of school life and for all staff and students to realise their own abilities, to cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and to be able to make a positive contribution to the community.

The wellbeing of our students, and indeed of all those involved with The Matthew Arnold School, is paramount. Healthy, happy and safe individuals thrive and make progress; stressed, tired and unhappy ones don’t.

Despite our acknowledged outstanding record for safeguarding and student welfare, we never rest on our laurels and constantly seek new ways to promote the wellbeing of all. We start this every day by being on the school gate to welcome each student, and finish in the same way to ensure they leave the school site safely and positively.

Once a week, students have a wellbeing lesson, delivered by their form tutor. This complements and builds on the tutor programme, but also focuses on enjoyment for its own sake. Students are given the opportunity to engage in a diverse range of activities that lend themselves across the school curriculum, from yoga to cake decoration to code-cracking.

Throughout the delivery of these sessions, students are encouraged to develop their oracy skills through debate and discussion in an environment based on mutual respect for all. These are based on bespoke topics that are tailored for each individual year group and the current issues that are being faced locally and globally.

Similarly, staff wellbeing and work life balance is a priority for the leadership team, ensuring that our teachers are energetic, positive and in school every day! Staff and student wellbeing is a regular discussion point in weekly SLT meetings, where we self-reflect on what we are doing well and where we can develop further, to ensure all of the people in the Matthew Arnold community are happy and safe inside and outside of school.

PSHE Curriculum Intent 2023 - 24

PSHE Sequencing 2023-2024

RSE-Curriculum Overview

RSE Secondary Schools Guide for Parents