Administrator's Corner
CREATING A CULTURE OF CHARACTER IN
YOUR SCHOOL
BY NATASSJA WILLIAMS
a solid sense of well-being are
more likely to become confident,
independent thinkers which inevitably
leads to success in school and more
importantly, in life. Children who
understand what ethical decision
making is and who have explored
how to navigate moral dilemmas will
be better equipped to deal with life’s
challenges.
“The function of education is to teach
one to think intensively and to think
critically. Intelligence plus character –
that is the goal of true education.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
A
ll
across
the
world,
educational establishments
are more aware than ever of
the need to put a positive
culture at the heart of their curriculum.
Most schools have some kind of
character programme in place, using
their own vernacular to describe it.
Happiness, well-being, mindfulness,
ethics, moral education – the list goes
on. At the end of the day, it doesn’t
really matter what language schools
use, as long as they are paying more
than lip service to their programme
and its ability to improve outcomes
and opportunities for children.
Building a culture of character should
be based on four key areas:
1. Common Understanding (shared
values and virtues)
2. Positive Relationships (community
and giving)
3. Communication
and
Connectedness (taking notice of
what you and others say and do)
4. Learning through Experiences
(growing and developing practical
wisdom)
When a school has successfully
achieved a culture of character, its
community is happy, productive and
cohesive. Obvious manifestations
are eye contact between pupils and
adults, door opening, courteous,
respectful behaviour to peers as well
as to those in positions of authority.
Pupils are able to listen and are
confident in their enquiry. Acts of
kindness are in evidence. Acceptance
of and pride in diversity is obvious.
Bullying is at a minimum and when
present, dealt with quickly, quietly and
constructively. Determination, self-
expression, resilience and tenacity
become expected and positively
impact learning outcomes.
Creating a culture of character is harder
than it sounds. It involves so much more
than crafting an ethos or wordsmithing
a framework of values – although these
need to be done. To really have an
impact, a character programme must
be embedded into everything the
school stands for and there must be a
tangible link between the programme’s
vision and the academic and life skills
children develop, as a result of it. Most
importantly, it must be championed by
senior leadership.
A successful character programme
engages the entire school community
– children, staff, school leadership,
parents, facilities staff, catering
teams and more. And it is woven into
everything, strategically and with
passion.
Research informs us that children
who develop strong character and
While some children are born with
self-assurance and personal resolve,
more are not, and so depend on their
families and their school communities
to help them grow in these areas. The
responsibility on educators in our
modern, pressurised digital era has
never been greater.
Creating a culture of character in a
school takes time. It has to be brought
alive through every single aspect of the
school, from displays in the corridors
to the cross curricular programme,
and from the focus of assemblies to
the actions and demeanour of the
staff. Target setting, curriculum maps,
reporting, marketing and lesson
planning must support the values and
competency framework that forms the
backbone of the school.
Character development is not the
purview of any one team. It can’t
be just an extra layer. It has to be
endemic. Character cannot be treated
as a second class citizen, or a bolt-on,
rather it needs to be inherent in all
teaching and learning, underpinning
every child’s academic, co-curricular
and pastoral timetable. The best
schools already know this and are
working hard to ensure that this critical
and evolving bedrock of education is
cultivated and grown successfully.
Natassja holds a BA Hons in Dance Studies from Roehampton University,
a PGCE in Secondary Dance from the University of Hertfordshire and is
currently completing her National Professional Qualification in Headship.
She is passionate about the need for children to develop their character and
wellbeing alongside their academic experiences. Natassja taught in Primary
and Secondary schools in London before joining Cranleigh Abu Dhabi in 2014
where she is Deputy Head (Pastoral), in the Prep School.
Class Time
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May - Jun 2018
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