Character Education

Character has four key aspects, as defined by the Department for Education (DfE, 2019):

• The ability to remain motivated by long-term goals
• The acquisition of social confidence and the ability to make points or arguments clearly and constructively
• The learning and habituation of positive moral attributes
• An appreciation of the importance of long-term commitments which frame the successful and fulfilled life.

We are committed to:

• Developing well-educated and rounded young adults ready to take their place in the world
• Promoting the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils and preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life
• Promoting good behaviour and positive character traits
• Fostering good mental wellbeing among young people so that they can fulfil their potential at school and are well prepared for adult life.

This is facilitated through:

• The Personal Development programme (including the Personal Development Curriculum, Student Leadership and Student Voice and assemblies)
• Subject curricula, including the opportunities for team work developed within PE and for creativity within Art, Drama and Music
• Enrichment opportunities including involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, student leadership and trips
• The academy’s Behaviour and Welfare Policy which sets out explicit behaviour expectations in terms of the Code of Conduct thus ensuring a positive and co-operative learning environment.

The academy promotes the development of Character Education through the BVGA Competencies and Attributes.

• The BVGA Competencies are aiming high, creative thinking, independence and teamwork.
• The BVGA Attributes are responsibility, resilience, respect and compassion.

Please click the link to the BVGA Character Framework below for further information about the Competencies and Attributes.

BVGA Character Framework

The BVGA Competencies and Attributes are supported and reinforced whole-school by recognition and reward strategies (ie. Class Charts positives, celebration assemblies and the annual prizegiving.

Whole-school evaluation of the effectiveness of Character Education is supported by the academy’s QA processes. The impact of Character Education is benchmarked against DfE standards by the Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Personal Development.

Please click the link below for the criteria used in this process.

BVGA Criteria for Competencies and Attributes