Spiritual Development - progression in spirituality

First published 28th February 2012
"Inspectors also evaluate how well the school promotes the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development."

Ofsted Framework 2012, paragraph 40

In Church Schools, spiritual development is a key area in ensuring distinctiveness. These resources help to achieve and quantify this development. They were produced by Derek Holloway (Schools Advisorfor the Diocese of Salisbury) with Andrew Rickett (the Diocese of Bristols SIAS Advisor) and Sarah Rickett (Education Officer for Salisbury Cathedral).

The SMSC Guidance Spirituality Policy begins with the motto: "If the spiritual is properly and fully addressed, the moral, social and cultural will fall into place more easily" (Alan Brown, formerly of The National Society).

The Progression in Spirituality Exemplar takes each year group individually and suggests methods for childrens spiritual development through encounter, reflection and transformation with regard to four areas:

-Self (being a unique person and understanding self-perception),

-Others (how empathy, concern, compassion and other values and principles affect relationships),

-World and Beauty (perceiving and relating to the physical and creative world through responses to nature and art),

-Beyond relating to the transcendental and understanding experiences and meaning outside the everyday.

There is also a blank Progression in Spirituality document for your own use.

Salisbury Diocese produced this guidance and support for schools on providing opportunities for pupils Spiritual Development in response to the new Ofsted inspection framework. Whilst Ofsted is concerned with provision and promotion of opportunities for Spiritual Development we believe that in Church Schools there should be an element ofv progression in those opportunities.

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