Our aim at Workington Academy is to promote Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Education (SMSC) in a thoughtful and wide ranging manner in order to enable our students to become valuable and fully rounded members of society who treat others with respect and tolerance regardless of their background. This programme will promote British Values and help protect students from extremism and radicalisation.

This principle is enshrined in our school core values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience and our encouragement for students to ‘be the best they can be’.

Our vision for the students of the Workington Academy is that they will:

Have self-esteem, self-knowledge and self-confidence.
To have healthy attitudes and habits with regard to their physical and mental health.
Have an understanding and respect British democracy, including a knowledge of the role of the government and other public institutions.
Make a positive contributions to the communities they belong to.
Have developed a sense of right and wrong, including an awareness that all UK citizens are subject to civil and criminal law of the country.
Have reflected on their own beliefs and values and developed a sense of awe and wonder.
To be able to express themselves well and be creative.
To have developed their individual gifts and talented to the full.
To be emotionally resilient
Show tolerance and respect and to challenge prejudice and discrimination where they see it.
Have a knowledge of different religious faiths and an understanding that individuals’ right to religious freedom is enshrined in law.
Have the necessary skills to enjoy effective and healthy relationships.
To be fully prepared for modern British Life

These outcomes will be achieved through a clear strategy that embeds these values in Workington Academy, which we envisage will be a community hub where our students will act as ambassadors for these ideals.

The strategy for the promotion of SMSC will include:

Promotion of the school’s values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience.
The example of all staff who will uphold the values of the community and act as role models.
Delivery of an engaging and challenging PD curriculum which incorporates RE, PSHEE, CIAG, and Citizenship including Sex and Relationships Education.
Opportunities for SMSC throughout the curriculum e.g. development of democracy in history
Tutor group activities including a ‘Thought for the Week’ programme.
A planned programme of thought provoking and informative assemblies and opportunity for collective worship.
Themed whole school awareness weeks such as Mental Health Awareness and Send My Friend to school week.
A planned program of charity events which will give students the opportunity to contribute to society as well as raise awareness of local, national and international causes.
Special events to mark festivals and moments of import in the nation’s calendar such as Remembrance Day, Christmas.
Links with local religious communities and visits to places of worship.
Opportunities to take part in elections and decision making e.g. through the work of the student council, national youth Parliament and mock elections.
A range of extra-curricular and volunteering activities e.g. Duke of Edinburgh Award, Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition, Connecting Classrooms.
House events where students plan community projects e.g. Easter hampers for the local elderly.