SMSC & Life Skills
We value highly spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (SMSC) and we see it as important in fulfilling our school vision statement, “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10. v10b) . Our college’s Christian character supports the SMSC development of all of our students whether they are Christian, of other faiths, or of none.
SMSC is promoted across the school through our daily acts of collective worship, the Life Skills curriculum, in academic subjects, and through extra-curricular activities.
St Catherine’s College prepares students to stand shoulder to shoulder with their peers: locally, nationally and globally. We believe that the College’s Life Skills curriculum is an integral part of this preparation as well as inspiring and supporting our students to live their lives to the full.
Our Life Skills curriculum allows pupils to acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives (now and in the future), and to be active and responsible local and global citizens. Our pupils are equipped to live healthy, safe, productive, responsible and balanced lives. They are supported in making effective and ambitious transitions and career choices.
The Life Skills curriculum provides opportunities for our pupils to reflect on their own values and attitudes and explore the complex range of values and attitudes they encounter now and in the future. Our pupils are helped in building their confidence, resilience and self-esteem, to identify and manage risk, make informed choices, and understand what influences their decisions.
To assist pupils in managing their present and future lives, and to be active and responsible local and global citizens, the Life Skills programme includes:
- Relationships & Sex Education
- Keeping Safe & Healthy (including Mental Health)
- National and Global Citizenship (including British Values)
- Careers
- Financial Capability
Lily (Year 10) wrote after reflecting on her learning about Rights and Freedoms:
‘I enjoyed this topic because we heard different people’s opinions from different cultures and I learnt more about different religions and cultures I didn’t know of or understand before. It gave me better knowledge of the world and other countries, and how people live outside of the UK.’