Cultural Capital at Saint Mary's
At our school, our intent is for children to join us on a learning journey, which will equip them for the future. We want our children to leave us at Year 6 with a range of skills, a love of learning and a ‘suitcase of happy memories.’
Cultural capital is the essential knowledge that children need to prepare them for their future success. It is about giving the children the best possible start to their education. The term ‘cultural capital’ is not new. It is a complex theory that comes originally from the field of sociology, which involves the study of society, including relationships, social interactions and culture. It is important to recognise that everyone has cultural capital – knowledge, skills and behaviours – and these accumulate over time through many different experiences and opportunities.
At Saint Mary's, children benefit from a curriculum that builds on what they understand and know already. It revolves around the coherent cycle of learning from the past, living in the present and looking to the future. This means our children have a deep and connected knowledge and understanding of where they came from, who they are and what they might become. We believe that exposure, not only to culture but also to situations in which the children might not have previous experiences of, is of paramount importance to their ongoing successes.
Cultural capital is not something that is ‘given’ or ‘taught.’ It is about culture, language, traditions and experiences. At Saint Mary's we want to celebrate the uniqueness of us all and share our differences and individualism. It is beyond the curriculum. Some aspects will be covered through the curriculum, other aspects are explored in assemblies, incidental conversations and daily life at school.