SMSC Assemblies

SMSC stands for Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development. This area of the curriculum focusses on the non-academic development of students. During these assemblies we cover a range of topics and themes, all of which are listed below.

British Values

Rule of Law

Democracy

Respect and Tolerance

Individual Liberty

Religious Events

School Focus

(Reading, T&L, Inclusion, Curriculum)

School Values/ Important qualities

National Events

Careers Input

autumn 1

Week commencing	Who is leading the assembly?	SMSC Link	Quote of the week	Year groups
1.9.25	Mr Webb welcome assembly and ROARS	British Values & ROARS	Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it! Charles R Swindoll	All year groups
8.9.25	CK	Student Council launch	Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.	All year groups
15.9.25	CK	Student council elections and voting	Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.	All year groups
22.9.25	Mark Topps Years 8,7,6 Assembly. MSHT to year 5	Harvest Festival – what we can do to help? Alpha Club launch	Year 5 – MSHT – Transition – post changes on Wednesday ‘It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving’ Mother Teresa
29.9.25	Rebecca Smith Mon and Tuesday – years 7 and 8 (Careers Year 5 and 6 – CK around quote.	Working as an Architect – what does this look like?	‘The future depends on what you do today’ Mahatma Gandhi	Years 7 and 8 – Careers talk (Guest) Years 5/6 - talk around quote (CK)
6.10.25	MHST	MHST young minds mental health week	Ending with Hello yellow on Friday 10th.	All years
13.10.25	RM	House competition – General Knowledge	If you’re a true warrior, competition doesn’t scare you, it makes you better! Andrew Whitworth	All years
20.10.25	CK	Divali	‘Culture grows on the vine of tradition’ Henry James	All years

AUTUMN 2

Week commencing	Who is leading the assembly?	SMSC Link	Quote of the week	Year groups
3.11.25	FK	Anti-bullying Ambassadors Assembly	Prep for ABA week and what they will cover this week. ‘Courage is fire and bullying is smoke!’ Benjamin Disraeli	All years
10.11.25	CK	Remembrance week	Anti-bullying week	All years
17.11.25	Vanessa Newbold	Working in war-torn countries	18th Nov only – years 7 and 8 together in the gym – Visiting speaker Year 5 19th November (Wednesday) –Student council - British Values – what are these and how can we remember them? 20th Nov – year 7 – unhelpful thinking strategies.	All year groups – Different assembly subjects)
24.11.25	My Time and MSHT	‘My Time’ Assembly and MSHT (for year 7)	Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and care to change a person’s life. Jackie Chan	Year 8 – My Time Year 7 – MSHT – unhelpful thinking strategies Years 5/6 – My Time Wednesday
1.12.25	Mark Topps All years	Advent – what's this all about?	‘let’s approach Christmas with an expectant hush rather than a last minute rush’ Anonymous	All year groups
8.12.25	MA	House Challenge – Spelling bee	‘What the mouth produces, the hand spells. Spelling is a visible language’. Dr Pam Kastner	All year groups
15.12.25	HOY at THS	Celebration assembly week at THS		At Thomas Hardy school = All years different days.

spring 1

Week commencing	Who is leading the assembly?	SMSC Link	Quote of the week	Year groups
6.1.26	CK	School values and qualities. New Year, New start!	'We all get the exact same 365 days. The only difference is what we do with them.' Hillary DePiano ROARS Values revisited.	All year groups
12.1.26	LS	House comps around MATHS	'Honesty is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into a failure. James Altucher	All year groups
19.1.26	CK	Chinese New year	‘A smile will give you ten more years of life!’ A Chinese Proverb.	All year groups
26.1.26	Gideons Team/Mark Topps	Mark tops – Years 6, 7 and 8	Mark tops – Years 8– Monday Years 6 and 7 – Tuesday Year 5 – 30th Jan– Good news for everyone (Wednesday) – Bible distribution	Mark Topps – Monday/Tuesday Gideons – Wednesday to year 5 pupils only
2.2.26	Sarah Hyde	Safer internet week	'Online Safety – Know your stuff!' (safer internet day)	All year groups
9.2.26	FR/CK	Mental Health week	Year 5 – MSHT – Friendships and anxiety(Wednesday)	All year groups – Year 5 guest speaker on Wednesday)

spring 2

Week commencing	Who is leading the assembly?	SMSC Link	Quote of the week	Year groups
23.2.26	Liz James	World Book Day week prep	'Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.' -Jin Rohn ‘There is no friend as loyal as a book!' -Ernest Hemingway	All year groups
02.03.26	DH/CK	National Careers Week (Years 7 and 8) Years 5 and 6 – Holi Festival	Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done. Robert A Heinlein DH – Careers – Years 7 and 8 – Monday and Tuesday) CK – Holi Festival – Wednesday – to year 5 and 6	All year groups
09.03.26	Mark Topps	Spiritual	‘What is Easter all about? ‘ 12th March (Friday) year 8 – Celebrating difference – MHST	All year groups (MSHT assembly to year 8 on the Thursday– extra)
16.03.26	Claire Whiting	British Science week	The important thing is to never stop questioning – Albert Einstein	All year groups
13.7.26	HOY	Celebration assemblies	At Thomas Hardy school	All year groups

summer 1

Week commencing	Who is leading the assembly?	SMSC Link	Quote of the week	Year groups
13.4.26	CK	ROARS Values	'People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.' (St George's Day)	Years 5/6 (Wed) only
20.4.26	Student Council assembly/ MHST assembly	Protective characteristics –What are these and why are they important to us? - To year 5	“Good character is the single most important attribute of a successful and worthy life.” — Michael Josephson Year 6 – 22nd April – Exam stress – MHST	Protective characteristics – to years 5, 7 and 8 MHST to years 6 (see below)
27.4.26	Sports House challenges across this week – All year groups – House comps. PE Team – Start of tutor until after school each day this week.
6.5.26	MHST (FR link)	How do we look after our Mental Health?	Mental health is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going...	All year groups
11.5.26	EL	World Day of Cultural Diversity (21st May)	Diversity is the one true thing we have in common – celebrate it every day! Winston Churchill	Year 8 – Tuesday Years 5/6–Wednesday

summer 2

Week commencing	Who is leading the assembly?	SMSC Link	Quote of the week	Year groups
01.06.26	CK	Pride Month	Diversity is our strength, and unity is our power." — Unknown	All year groups
08.06.26 11th June – Year 8 – Transition assembly - MSHT	CK	Extremism	The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything... or nothing. - Nancy Astor	All year groups
15.06.26	No Assemblies – Morning sessions MP	National Sports week (Wake up shake each day before school)	“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth	All year groups
22.6.26	SH	Safer internet day.	‘Think before you click!’	All year groups
29.06.26	Sabine Sharman	House Competition – Bake off – NO assemblies – online.	Cake bake!	All year groups – live link to tutors.
06.07.26		Spiritual	'Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day!	All year groups
13.7.26	HOY	Celebration assemblies	At Thomas Hardy school	All year groups