SKILLS AND CHARACTER MATTERS!

Involvement with creativity and the arts is crucial to developing the skills that matter in life...resilience, communication, teamwork, problem solving, imagination, self-expression in young people. These are the skills that will fuel the success of the UK’s creative industries, and that will result in the next generation of creative talent across the country.

The DfE Character Education Framework Guidance sets out the approach the DfE suggest schools should be using to develop these skills and character! Of course, character education is not new. Schools already use a wide variety of curricular and extra-curricular activities to provide character education, including: assemblies, lessons, sports, arts, outward bound activities, and clubs. These opportunities help young people to explore and express their character and build the skills they need to be happy, healthy, safe and successful.

The DfE have identified four important aspects, “which can inform the way schools shape their wider provision for children and young people:

• the ability to remain motivated by long-term goals, to see a link between effort in the present and pay-off in the longer-term, overcoming and persevering through, and learning from, setbacks when encountered;
• the learning and habituation of positive moral attributes, sometimes known as ‘virtues’, and including, for example, courage, honesty, generosity, integrity, humility and a sense of justice, alongside others;
• the acquisition of social confidence and the ability to make points or arguments clearly and constructively, listen attentively to the views of others, behave with courtesy and good manners and speak persuasively to an audience; and
• an appreciation of the importance of long-term commitments which frame the successful and fulfilled life, for example to spouse, partner, role or vocation, the local community, to faith or world view. This helps individuals to put down deep roots and gives stability and longevity to lifetime endeavours.”

Research suggests that developing skills and character can improve educational attainment, engagement with school and attendance. “The Education Endowment Foundation and Cabinet Office found that:

• High self-efficacy, or self-belief, is associated with better performance, more persistence and greater interest in work; 
• Highly motivated children (linked to tenacity) driven internally and not by extrinsic rewards show greater levels of persistence and achievement; 
• Good self-control (or self-regulation, the ability to delay gratification) is associated with greater attainment levels; and 
• Having good coping skills (part of being able to bounce back) is associated with greater well-being.” 

The importance of character education is reflected in Ofsted’s NEW inspection arrangements, and as with other aspects of education, the best character education does not happen by chance, but is the product of clear and purposeful leadership, a strong ethos and high expectations of pupils, a good curriculum and co-curriculum and strong evidence-based pedagogy. The six benchmarks proposed in the guidance are intended to reflect these features of good schools.

What kind of school are we?

• How clearly do we articulate the kind of education we aspire to provide? 
• How do we ensure that all members of the school community (e.g. staff, pupils, parents/carers, governing body) understand and share our aims? 
• How effectively do we create a sense of pride, belonging and identity in our school? 

What are our expectations of behaviour towards each other?

• Are we clear on the importance of discipline and good behaviour in school life? How do we promote this understanding? 
• How well do we promote consideration and respect towards others (pupils and adults), good manners and courtesy? 
• How well do we promote a range of positive character traits among pupils? 

How do our curriculum and teaching develop resilience and confidence?

• Is our curriculum ambitious for our pupils? Does it teach knowledge and cultural capital which will open doors and give them confidence in wider society? 
• Is our curriculum logically organised and sequenced, including within subjects, and taught using effective pedagogy, so pupils gain a strong sense of progress and grow in confidence? 

How good is our co- curricular provision?

• Does it cover a wide range across artistic, creative, performance, sporting, debating, challenge, team and individual etc. so all pupils can both discover new interests and develop existing ones? 
• Do we make use of or promote local, national or international programmes or organisations? (e.g. uniformed organisations, Duke of Edinburgh, National Citizen Service etc.) 
• Is provision of high quality and does it challenge pupils and build expertise? Is participation sustained over time? 
• Are there ample opportunities for pupils to compete, perform etc., and is success acknowledged and celebrated? 

How well do we promote the value of volunteering and service to others?

• Are age-appropriate expectations of volunteering and service to others clearly established? 
• Are opportunities varied, meaningful, high-quality and sustained over time? 
• Do volunteering and service opportunities contribute to breaking down social barriers? Are they effective in making pupils civic-minded and ready to contribute to society? 

How do we ensure that all our pupils benefit equally from what we offer?

• Do we understand and reduce barriers to participation (e.g. cost, timing, location, logistics, confidence, parental support etc.)? 
• Do we enable young people from all backgrounds to feel as if they belong and are valued? 
• Is our provision, including our co-curricular provision, appropriately tailored both to suit and to challenge the pupils we serve?