What does Cultural Capital mean at Shalom Noam Primary School?

Every child and family who joins our setting will have their own knowledge and experiences that will link to their culture and wider family. This will include their Jewish faith and might include: languages, traditions, cultural and family heritage, interests, travel and work.

Cultural capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a child 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.

Ofsted define cultural capital as…

‘It is the essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens, introducing them to the best that has been thought and said and helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.’ “

At Shalom Noam Primary School, children benefit from a curriculum that has reading at the heart thus allowing them exposure to other cultures, places and experiences other than their own. 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.

So, on the one hand, we expose them to other experiences and knowledge different to their own, whilst, in Jewish Studies lessons, children have the opportunity to expand and develop what they know of their own culture and religion and develop what is familiar to them.

As children go through the school, we give them a host of experiences to help them engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement whilst developing their own identity as British citizens and proud Jews. We do this through assemblies, visits to museums, trips, speakers and in school opportunities.