Cultural Capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a child gains over time through different
experiences and opportunities. They draw upon these to demonstrate their cultural awareness, knowledge and competence. It is one of the key ingredients a child will draw upon to be successful in society, their career and the world of work.

"Cultural Capital gives a child power. It helps them achieve goals, become successful, and rise up the social ladder without necessarily having wealth or financial capital."
 
At Blue Coat, we recognise that for a child to aspire and be successful academically and in the wider areas of their lives, they need to be given rich and sustained opportunities to develop.
 

Every child that joins our setting will have their own knowledge and experiences that will link to their culture and wider family. This might include language, beliefs and traditional cultural and family heritage, interests, travel and work.

There are six key areas of development that are interrelated and cumulatively contribute to a child’s Cultural Capital:
1. Personal Development 
2. Social Development
3. Physical Development
4. Spiritual Development
5. Moral Development
6. Cultural Development
 
Each Year Group makes its own unique contribution to children's Cultural Capital development and supports SMSC across the school.

1. Personal Development

• Careers Information;
• Personal Finance Education;
• Citizenship, Personal, Social and Health Education provision;
• The school’s wider pastoral framework;
• Growth mindset and metacognition - Resilience development strategies;
• Transition support;
• Work to develop confidence e.g. public speaking;
• Activities focused on building self-esteem;
• Mental Health & well-being provision.
   

2. Social Development

• Citizenship, Personal, Social and Health Education provision;
• Service to School and charitable works;
• Pupil Voice – School Council;
• In school and wider community engagement;
• Pastoral support;
• Access to counselling.

 
3. Physical Development

• The Physical Education curriculum;
• Anti-bullying and safeguarding policies and strategies;
• The Health Education dimension of the PSHE programme;
• The extra-curricular programme related to sports and well-being;
• The celebration of sporting achievement including personal fitness and competitive sport;
• Cycling proficiency training and Cycling to School Safely protocol;
• Activities available during unstructured time- lunch and break times;
• Activity-based trips;
• Curriculum units related to food preparation and nutrition;
• The promotion of walking or cycling to school;
•  OPAL.

 
4. Spiritual Development

• The Religious Education curriculum;
• Collective acts of worship and reflection;
• Support for the expression of individual faiths;
• Inter-faith and faith-specific activities and speakers;
• Visits to religious buildings and centres;

 
5. Moral Development

• The Religious Education curriculum;
• The school's Behaviour Management policy;
• Contributions to local, national and international charitable projects;
• PSHE curriculum

 
6. Cultural Development

• Promotion of racial equality and community cohesion through the school’s ethos, informing all policy and practice. Citizenship Education through
• PSHE;
•  Access to the Arts;
• Access to the languages and cultures of other countries through the curriculum and trips and visits.