What is Cultural Capital?

Not all children will have been exposed to the same level of experiences and opportunities to gain knowledge of the world around them. But these children whose home experiences are more limited and their journeys more uneven, particularly need guidance to spark their aspirations and allow them to flourish.

All educators want all children to succeed in life. Whatever this might mean for each individual child. However, for children to begin to work on their individual journeys, they need to be aware of the opportunities which exist. As such, children need to be aware of the opportunities that are available in the world. This is where cultural capital comes in.

It is important for children to gain the ‘essential knowledge’, wide experiences and universal reference points. This allows them to succeed in their own individual journeys. Through taking part in different experiences and interacting with a wide range of people, children can gain a wider knowledge of the world they live in. This, therefore, builds on children’s existing cultural capital and extends it.

Building on children’s cultural capital can involve exposing children to knowledge which is outside of their daily experiences. Practitioners and teachers often teach children about aspects which children have not directly experienced before; it is important to widen these experiences to ensure each child is exposed to or aware of as many opportunities in their lives as possible.

Policy Rationale:

At Park Junior School, we recognise that for children 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 their cultural capital.

The school recognises that there are six key areas of development that are interrelated and cumulatively contribute to the sum of a child’s cultural capital:

1. Personal Development
2. Social Development, including political and current affairs awareness
3. Physical Development
4. Spiritual Development
5. Moral Development
6. Cultural development

Examples of how we cover the key areas of Cultural Capital Development.

Personal development

1. Citizenship, Personal, Social and Health Education provision;
2. The school’s wider pastoral framework;
3. Growth mindset support – resilience development strategies;
4. Transition support;
5. Work to develop confidence e.g. role play, supporting peers;
6. Activities focused on building self-esteem;
7. Residential Visits - year 4 Ilam Hall & Year 6 Wales
8. Mental Health & well-being provision.
9. Regular visitors to inspire the children's life journeys.
10. opportunities for children to grow their awareness in the needs of others around them.

Social Development

1. Personal, Social and Health Education provision;
2. Charitable work and supporting the wider community
3. Pupil Voice –School Council
4. Child and Family Support Worker support;
5. Provisions linked to the school’s accreditation of the Mental Health Award
6. Pastoral support from all staff
7. Regular experiences and opportunities to help children understand their role in working with and looking after others.

Physical Development

1. The Physical Education curriculum;
2. Healthy Eating policies and catering provision;
3. Anti-bullying and safeguarding policies and strategies
4. The Health Education dimension of the PSHE programme, including strands on drugs, smoking and alcohol;
5. The extra-curricular clubs related to sports and well-being;
6. The celebration of sporting achievement including personal fitness and competitive sport;
7. Activity-based residential visits - Yr 4 to Ilam Hall and Yr 6 to Wales
8. Design and Technology units related to food preparation and nutrition;
9. Restaurant day to experience food preparation and design for the school community
10. Bikeability for year 4 and year 6
11. Swimming lessons

Spiritual Development

1. The Religious Education Curriculum;
2. Our collective acts of reflection - assemblies;
3. Support for the expression of individual faiths;
4. Inter-faith and faith-specific activities and visitors;
5. Visits to religious buildings and centres;
6. Celebrating the diversity of cultures and beliefs in our own school.

Moral Development

1. The PHSE Curriculum;
2. The school’s Behaviour policy;
3. Contributions to local, national and international charitable projects.
4. Assemblies, newsround and class based discussions
5. School Values
6. Picture News

Cultural Development

1. Citizenship education through PSHE;
2. Access to the Arts and Arts education including Music and Drama;
3. Access to the languages and cultures of other countries through the curriculum, trips and visits
4. Understanding of cultures through current affairs and discussion
5. Assemblies and time for reflection
6. Promotion of racial equality and community cohesion through the school’s ethos, informing all policy and practice.