At Oppidan, we talk a lot with schools about character education. But what actually is it?

According to Ofsted, there are six areas that schools should tackle in order to develop effective character education.

School's educational philosophy

Type of school

Clearly define the school's mission, vision and values
Ensure that these are communicated effectively to all stakeholders

Communication of educational aspirations

Regularly communicate the school's educational goals through various channels (meetings, newsletters, website, etc.)
Provide training or informational sessions for staff, parents and students
Creating a sense of pride and belonging
Foster a positive and inclusive school culture
Recognise and celebrate achievements within the school community

Expectations of behaviour

Importance of discipline

Clearly communicate the importance of discipline and good behaviour
Implement a consistent and fair disciplinary system

Promotion of respect and good manners

Embed values of respect, empathy and courtesy in the school's culture
Implement character education programmes

Promotion of positive character traits

Integrate character education into the curriculum
Recognise and reward positive character traits

Curriculum and teaching

Ambitious curriculum

Ensure the curriculum is challenging and aligned with educational standards
Provide professional development opportunities for teachers

Logical organisation and effective pedagogy

Develop a well-structured curriculum with clear learning objectives
Implement effective teaching strategies that promote student engagement and understanding

Co-curricular activities

Diversity of activities

Offer a wide range of co-curricular activities
Regularly assess and update offerings based on student interests

Quality and challenge

Ensure that activities are of high quality and provide opportunities for skill development
Acknowledge and celebrate achievements in co-curricular activities

Equitable opportunities

Identify and address barriers to participation
Encourage and support diverse participation in all activities

Value of volunteering and service

Clear expectations

Clearly define expectations for volunteering and service
Provide opportunities for reflection on the impact of service

Varied and meaningful opportunities

Offer diverse and meaningful service opportunities
Encourage long-term commitment to service activities

Equality in access and provision

Reducing barriers

Identify and address barriers to participation, ensuring inclusivity
Provide support systems for students facing challenges

Tailored provision

Customise provisions to suit diverse student needs

Regularly assess the effectiveness of tailored approaches

Furthermore, the Association for Character Education, more ‘poetically’ defines the need for character and its general status:

The choices an individual makes determine their future, and the purpose of developing good character is the ability to make good choices. Character allows us to flourish as individuals, and as a wider society. This is why the development of character, as well as achieving academic attainment, should be the purpose of education.

At Oppidan we partner with schools to develop and integrate their character education especially through mentoring programmes for both junior and senior schools.