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Ethos: Spiritual development

Issues for Church schools

The spiritual development of pupils should lie at the heart of the curriculum of a Church school.
The context should be a Christian framework, while recognizing the importance of spiritual development of pupils whose religious conviction and experience lies outside the Christian tradition. In OFSTED's latest guidance to school inspectors, the following support is offered:

Spiritual development and provision

Pupils who are developing spiritually are likely to be developing some or all of the following characteristics:

a set of values, principles and beliefs, which may or may not be religious, which inform their perspective on life and their patterns of behaviour;
an awareness and understanding of their own and others' beliefs;
a respect for themselves and for others;
a sense of empathy with others, concern and compassion;
an ability to show courage in defence of their beliefs;
a readiness to challenge all that would constrain the human spirit - for example, poverty of aspiration, lack of self-confidence and belief, moral neutrality or indifference, force, fanaticism, aggression, greed, injustice, narrowness of vision, self-interest, sexism, racism and other forms of discrimination;
an appreciation of the intangible - for example, beauty, truth, love, goodness, order, as well as of mystery, paradox and ambiguity;
a respect for insight as well as for knowledge and reason;
an expressive and/or creative impulse;
an ability to think in terms of the 'whole' - for example, concepts such as harmony, interdependence, scale, perspective; and
an understanding of feelings and emotions and their likely impact.

Schools that are encouraging pupils' spiritual development are likely to be:

giving pupils the opportunity to explore values and beliefs, including religious beliefs, and the way in which they impact on people's lives;
encouraging pupils to explore and develop what animates themselves and others;
giving pupils the opportunity to understand human feelings and emotions, the way they impact on people and how an understanding of them can be helpful;
developing a climate or ethos within which all pupils can grow and flourish, respect others and be respected;
accommodating difference and respecting the integrity of individuals;
promoting teaching styles which:
- value pupils' questions and give them space for their own thoughts, ideas and concerns;
- enable pupils to make connections between aspects of their learning;
- encourage pupils to relate their learning to a wider frame of reference - for example, asking 'why', 'how' and 'where' as well as 'what'; and
monitoring in simple, pragmatic ways the success of what is provided.

Summary taken from Inspection Guidance Papers, OFSTED, September 2002.

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Church schools would expect to go further than OFSTED criteria, which are directed at all schools. For further details, see this extract from The National Society's Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition, May 2000)
The Christian context of an Anglican school can be characterized as follows:
The Church of England considers Church schools to be at the centre of the Church's mission to the nation.
A resolution to that effect was given the overwhelming support of General Synod in November 1998. The resolution went on to call each diocese and parish to support the work of Christian education through Church schools. You can read the full text of the resolution.
In Wales, similar support exists.

Guidance

Management and leadership issues and spiritual development

Teachers have identified the importance of the following:

a school's shared vision and shared values;
working together to achieve agreed goals;
establishing a community where all are valued - one group gave the example of creating a school council - and where schools demonstrate a commitment to building sound relationships between staff, between pupils, and between pupils and staff;
consistency, e.g. in staff responses to pupils, behaviour policies;
having a shared understanding of spiritual development leading to a clear policy that is owned by all, i.e. children, staff, governors, and parents;
planning to allow opportunities for spontaneity;
the use of circle time was a helpful approach in this area.

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Classroom strategies providing opportunities for spiritual development

Provide opportunities for active learning.
Circle time, e.g. as a forum for expression of personal feelings.
Class worship, which can build a sense of belonging.
Children to lead their own 'thought for the day' - children can choose a focal point for the worship, choose some appropriate music, etc.
Provide time for confidential support and opportunities for children to communicate with the teacher even if the teacher is busy, e.g. having a worry box or post box, putting a message on a Post-it note.
Celebrate children's work and ideas, e.g. thoughtful use of display areas, interactive displays, interest tables; draw children's attention to detail.
Group children together to cultivate sound relationships.
Build into the timetable opportunity for reflection, stillness, quiet times - use a candle or some other object to signal quiet times.
Use stories to promote spiritual development - build up a list of stories as you use them.
Provide opportunities for pupils to share experiences. Be prepared for these are not always pleasant experiences. Difficult times and crisis areas can make a significant contribution to children's spiritual development.

Taken from Feeding Minds and Touching Hearts, A. Brown and A. Seaman, National Society 2001. See the General Resources page for further ideas.

Challenging areas

The most difficult aspect of spiritual development in schools is defining what is meant by 'spiritual development'.
Schools are advised to produce a shared definition, reflecting the content of the school. Use materials listed under Guidance and Resources to support this work.
A further difficulty which concerns teachers is assessing pupils' spiritual development and the setting of targets for pupils. Schools should ensure pupils receive sufficient opportunities for spiritual development along the lines provided in Guidance and Resources.

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School worship and spiritual development

For worship to contribute to the spiritual development of pupils it should:

provide an opportunity for pupils to worship God;
celebrate all that is good and beautiful and express thankfulness for the joy of being alive;
provide opportunities for pupils to share what is meaningful and significant to them, including the darker side of life;
ensure that the experiences provided are relevant to the age, aptitude and family background of the pupils;
give time for silent reflection and exploration of inner space;
illustrate forms of worship that others have found helpful in their spiritual development, e.g. silent contemplation, dance, singing;
provide a rich variety of forms of expression, e.g. art, drama, music, story and give pupils the opportunity to experience these at their own level rather than teachers imposing their own interpretations;
take place in an environment that is conducive to worship, which is professionally coordinated and properly resourced;
always invite, never coerce, remembering that children will be at different stages of spiritual development and that they should feel able to respond and participate at their own level.

The law

section 1(2) of the Education Reform Act, 1988 (subsumed under section 351(1) of the Education Act, 1996) requires the curriculum in a maintained school to be broad and balanced and to promote: 'the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school'.
This requirement has been given substance with the presence of an inspection service, OFSTED (ESTYN - formerly OHMCI/SPAEM - in Wales).

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FAQs

How can I teach spiritual development?

It is extremely difficult if the school defines spiritual development narrowly. It is not a subject of the National Curriculum; it should flow throughout the whole life of the school and form an integral part of a pupil's education. The school can and should monitor how effectively it is providing opportunities for pupils to reflect; explore the world in which they live; experience awe, wonder, joy, etc.; respond, when appropriate, to issues of sadness and the darker aspects of life.

How is spiritual development inspected?

By the inspector looking at the environment of the school, the teaching and communication strategies used by teachers, the management of the classroom, the ambience of the corridors, as well as classrooms and reception areas. The other major areas are the opportunities offered through collective worship, links with the local church and the church community, through religious education and National Curriculum subjects

Some schools have drawn up a schedule indicating where SMSCD occurs in all aspects of school life including all curriculum subjects.

What is meant by spiritual development across the curriculum?

The notion of spiritual development has implications right across the curriculum, and at all ages. Every subject area should include in its general aims such objectives as the following:

to sustain the self-esteem of pupils in their learning experience;
to develop the individual's capacities for critical and independent thought;
to foster the emotional life of the individual, particularly in regard to being able to express one's feelings, and to enlarge one's appreciative range;
to provide opportunities for the development of imaginative and empathetic experiences;
to encourage the setting apart of moments for stillness and reflection;
to provide learning material and situations that encourage moral responses and obligations towards other persons;
to pursue issues that impinge upon what a 'person' is and that give value and identity to human life.

Resources

See the General resources for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development page.

DDE information

Many dioceses produce their own guidance, run courses and have advisers who can offer specific guidance and support directed at the particular needs of your school.
Follow this link for a list of Diocesan education contacts.

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