Cultural Capital
What is Cultural Capital?
Cultural capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a pupil can draw upon and which demonstrates their cultural awareness, knowledge and competence; it is one of the key ingredients a pupil will draw upon to be successful in society, their career and the world of work.
Cultural capital promotes social mobility and success in our society.
Cultural capital gives a pupil power. It helps them achieve goals, become successful, and rise up the social ladder without necessarily having wealth or financial capital.
Cultural capital is having assets that give pupils the desire to aspire and achieve social mobility whatever their starting point.
At Merridale, we are committed to providing our children with a broad and balanced curriculum, which is enriched with meaningful and exciting learning opportunities.
Our aim is to ensure that all children, regardless of cultural or socio-economic background or starting points, become the best they can be. We do this by providing a learning environment, which ensures all children achieve and encourages ambition.
Cultural capital is about preparing children for what comes next. By providing children with new skills, we nurture resilience, curiosity and creativity. Through this journey, the children develop new forms of cultural capital that make a difference to individual mind-sets, which consequently shapes their future.
Children at Merridale experience enrichment opportunities which allow them to appreciate and understand the awe and wonder of the world in which we live whilst ensuring they understand their role in protecting and celebrating our natural world.
| Diversity |
|---|
| Celebrations and festivals – Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Easter, Harvest |
| Places of worship visits – Church, Mosque, Mandir, Gurdwara, Vihara, Synagogue |
| Annual Wolverhampton Diversity Performance |
| Black History Month |
| Open the Book assemblies/Messy Church |
| Visits from faith leaders |
| Christingle Service |
| Christmas Play – Reception, Year 1 and 2 |
| Easter Egg Hunt |
| Communication, Language and Literacy |
|---|
| Letter exchange with local care home |
| Reading Challenge |
| World Book Day |
| KS2 Poetry Competition |
| KS2 Book Quiz |
| Class assemblies – performing – speaking, drama, dance, singing |
| Whole school texts |
| Book Swaps & Book Fairs |
| Caring for our Environment and Community |
|---|
| Improve our local area (bulb planting) |
| Protecting our planet – recycling, energy-saving |
| Big Bird Watch (RSPB) |
| Food Bank Friday collections – The Well foodbank |
| Charity fundraising – Children in Need, Comic Relief, NSPCC Number Day, Poppy Appeal, Sport Relief |
| Severn Trent Water – water conservation |
| Junior PCSO training |
| Remembrance Assembly |
| Democracy – School Council elections |
| Outdoor Day |
| Knowledge and Skills/Careers and Aspirations |
|---|
| Cook a meal |
| Learning outside of school: Learning Logs & curriculum newsletters, My Maths, TTRockstars, Spelling Shed |
| Parental workshops – phonics, times tables, reading, maths |
| Adult Education Service – workshops and activities for parents and children |
| Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Adopt a School cooking sessions |
| Peer mentors and Learning buddies (phonics, times tables) |
| Music –wider opportunities – learn to play an instrument |
| Fire Service – fire safety (SPARKS) |
| Weekly drama/musical theatre sessions |
| Enterprise Week and sale |
| Parent/carers showcases for Discover topics |
| Composer of the month |
| Learn to ride a bike safely -Bikeability (Year 4) |
| Learn to swim (Year 4) |
| Merridale’s Got Talent – showcase a talent |
| Dental nurse visit – Year 1/2/3 |
| Music workshops – singing, strings, drums |
| Playleader training for Peer Mentors |
| WGHS Maths Challenge and Spelling Challenge (year 4 and 5) |
| Local History and Geography Week |
| DIGIs e-learning showcase |
| Outdoor opportunities, visits and experiences |
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| Hot chocolate in forest school |
| Gruffalo Hunt |
| Camp Fire in forest school |
| Teddy bear’s picnic |
| Bird watching and pond-dipping – observe nature |
| Visit the zoo (Dudley Zoo) |
| Stay away from home (sleepover) |
| Find your way with a map and compass |
| Climb huge hill |
| Dam a stream |
| Watch a caterpillar turn into a butterfly |
| Visit the seaside (residential) – build a sandcastle, jump over the waves + travel by train |
| Visit the theatre |
| Links with local schools – WGHS and WGS (reading volunteers, book quiz and author visits) |
| Extra-curricular clubs – sports, dance, drama, music, art, games |
| Bantock House |
| Wolverhampton Art Gallery |
| Wolverhampton Archives |
| Bilston Art Gallery |
| Off site visits – Rays Farm, Sycamore Green, Carding Mill Valley, Grand Theatre, , Dudley Zoo and Castle, Cosford Air Museum, Cannock Chase, |
| Carol Singing at Sainsbury’s |
| Watch a panto |
| Visit the cinema (year 1-6) |
| Outdoor Science Week |
| Year 5 Singing in the Rain event (music) |
| Well-being |
|---|
| Raise money for charity |
| Play safely |
| First aid and medical issues |
| Keeping ourselves safe (NSPCC Speak out, stay safe + PANTs initiative awareness) |
| Stranger Danger |
| Road Safety |
| People who help us – who to talk to and how to get help |
| E-safety and Anti-bullying week |
| E-safety week and Safer Internet Day |
| Healthy Living Weeks – Merridale Marathon, Fun & Fitness, Daily Mile, Sports Day, healthy cooking |
| Sensory Circuits & Cool Kids |
| World Mental Health Day |
| World Kindness Day |
| Termly discos |
| Class swap – transitions |
| Playing in the snow |
| Project Give |
| Weekly and termly achievement/awards assembly |