What have we been doing?
Weekly Assembly – Summer 1
Special Events
What does it mean to us?
SMSC and Modern British Values are fundamental elements of our curriculum and are central to all aspects of academy life, and we promote them in everything we do. We have carefully developed opportunities for our pupils to not only achieve academically, but equally within their personal development. All aspects of SMSC are interwoven through curriculum subjects and during each lesson there is an SMSC question to allow children to explore the deeper meaning and impact. Through this children learn; about themselves, empathy and sympathy, different spiritual beliefs, cultures and social aspects and they can challenge their own moral compass’. We aim for all our pupils to feel inspired and are have responsibility across the school to share their opinions, make changes and show leadership through a conscientious and caring approach.
Our pupils are given countless opportunities for their voices to be heard, whether this is through the promotion of philosophical thinking (often seen in DCA, Forensic Reading, PSHE and SMSC), through our effective us of our dedicated weekly SMSC assemblies. We have a structure of voice, opinion and more power to the pupils with our strong school council and subject representatives! Ofsted recognised that our pupils have a deep understanding of their role in a diverse community. “Pupils are confident, resilient and self-motivated. Their highly positive attitude to their learning helps them to achieve very well. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain”.
Spiritual: This is not simply being interested in different faiths or even understanding their individual traits. Religion and faith are at the core of so many of our children’s lives, but spirituality comes from within. We keep pupils’ well-being, mental health and happiness, and that of staff, parents and others as a central part of our work.
Moral: This is crucial to our success, academically and pastorally. Our pupils clearly understand and respect our Golden Rules and Positive Discipline, a behaviour approach which above all else promotes and delivers rewards and praise for pupils making the right choices each and every day.
Social: This is critical to our rapid and sustained movement towards a world of relentless ambition and aspiration; we will stop at nothing for the success of our pupils, regardless of their background, perceived social status and international mobility.
Culture: This is at our core, we have been a part of our community for over a century, and generations have passed through our doors. Diversity is what makes Hillcrest special. We are immensely proud to be multi-faith, multi-ethnic and multilingual. But, for all that is multiplied, we are proud to be one community. We are confident that pupils leaving our gates at the end of every day have received the most enriching life experiences, have overcome social barriers and made us proud by tackling cultural and social stereotypes head-on.
As well as actively promoting British values, the opposite also applies: we would actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions
contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views. We recognise the multi-cultural, multi-faith and ever-changing nature of
our community and the United Kingdom. We also understand the vital role we have in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school
are not subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence them.
Downloadable Forms
Downloadable Documents
Prevent Duty
Radicalisation is defined as the act or process of making a person more radical or favouring of extreme or fundamental changes in political, economic or social conditions, institutions or habits of the mind. Extremism is defined as the holding of extreme political or religious views.
The Department for Education has published advice for schools on the Prevent duty. The Prevent duty requires all schools to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism in the exercise of their functions.
We are already responsible for keeping children safe, including from the risks of extremism and radicalisation, and for promoting the welfare of children in our care. The Prevent duty reinforces these existing duties by spreading understanding of the risks and current good practice across the country.
Hillcrest Academy is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils. Every member of staff recognises that safeguarding against radicalisation and extremism is no different to safeguarding against any other vulnerability in today’s society. The Tackling Extremism and Radicalisation Policy sets out our beliefs, strategies and procedures to protect vulnerable individuals from being radicalised or exposed to extremist views, by identifying who they are and promptly providing them with support. A draft of our policy can be found on this page.
