Abbeymead Primary School
Character Education at Abbeymead
At Abbeymead we ensure we provide a wide range of opportunities designed to help our pupils to become successful, well-rounded people. All our staff at Abbeymead want to help the pupils to become happy, confident and well-rounded individuals who make meaningful contributions to society.
Character education is not a standalone National Curriculum subject. According to the Jubilee Centre, character education is defined as ‘the implicit and explicit activities that help young people to develop positive personal strengths, called virtues.’
The key principles are:
- A good life is one in which a person develops and practises virtues.
- Character can be caught, taught and sought.
- Character traits develop through habits.
There are five key areas that help children develop good character:
- Sport
- Creativity
- Performing
- Volunteering and membership
- The world of work
It goes without saying that all children benefit from developing strong character virtues. Character education is intended to furnish children with certain qualities, skills and traits. These include self-belief, motivation, persistence, self-control, and coping skills, which help them 'bounce back' after a disappointment or setback, along with virtues like compassion, curiosity, civility and determination.
At Abbeymead, character education is a whole school culture that is evident in everyday routines, the behaviour of staff and children and the teaching and learning taking place in our classrooms.
Below you can find some examples of how we develop character at Abbeymead:
- Adventurous residentials, including Mount Snowdon, Dartmoor and the Forest of Dean
- The Ready for Life Awards
- Abbeymead Attitudes – The 5 Rs
- Abbeymead Values
- Links with the local community – Gloucester Rotary Club, Cheltenham Camera Club, local personalities.
- Behaviour Policy, strategies and Class Dojo
- Charity work – Gloucester Feed the Hungry, Life’s a Beach,
- Programme of competitive events linked to the Gloucester Sports Strategic Network
- Sports Ambassador Programme – Commonwealth Games, Football World Cup
- School clubs and teams
- Drama opportunities across the curriculum
- Inspirational visitors from the local community – Adventureman, Gloucester Feed the Hungry, Forest Green Rovers, Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
- A programme of assemblies, visitors, trips and workshops
- Aspirations Week
- A wide range of leadership roles and volunteer opportunities
- Legacy projects
