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Character Education Statement

Why do we value Character Education?
AAt Orchard Primary School we acknowledge that the experiences provided for children in their primary years has a major impact on their future wellbeing and success. It is for this reason, we have made a whole school commitment to the teaching and development of character traits, attributes and behaviours which underpin achievement and success; endeavouring to ensure that developing ‘character’ goes hand in hand with high educational aspirations and achievement.

 

Character through the Curriculum
Character education acts as a golden thread which is woven throughout our rich and exciting ‘core curriculum’. Our work on character enables pupils to develop life skills, character traits, attributes and behaviours which have a positive impact on wellbeing, confidence and life throughout school. It encourages the development of children who thrive on challenge, love learning, respect each other and have attributes that will ensure that they will be valued members of our society. Moreover, it helps pupils to be their best selves, to take pride in their work, and to be positive members of the school, and greater global communities.

We also create a culture where staff are empowered to take risks and be inventive with the curriculum and learning, where mistakes are seen as a valuable part of the learning process, where all staff and governors support each other and the ethos of the school and most importantly where the relationships in the school between all stakeholders provides a secure foundation for skill development.

 

Our Character Muscles
We teach a Routes to Resilience based character curriculum focussed on strengthening our 'Character Muscles!' These ‘muscles’ were chosen by pupils and staff as key character traits that will support pupils in the classroom and beyond to be successful and achieve their full potential.

We have a list of 11 common, generic Character Muscles that we visit most often because they make up most of the positive learning behaviour we want to develop in the children all of the time:

  • Enthusiasm: Ready and keen to learn all there is to know, and to contribute and enjoy.
  • Concentration: The act of focusing your attention.  The art of not being distracted.
  • Curiosity: A strong desire to know or learn something.  Asking questions to learn more.
  • Self-Control:  Restraining yourself from doing something that may not be appropriate at the time.  Involves self-control.
  • Creativity: Forming new ideas, images, or concepts.
  • Co-operation: The ability to work together. May involve compromise or self-sacrifice.
  • Teamwork/Inclusiveness:  Allowing others to join in and not limiting yourself to certain people.
  • Friendship: Involves trust, generosity, sharing, empathy and more.  Shouldn’t be treated lightly or traded away.
  • Kindness: Being generous, thoughtful, and friendly.
  • Resilience: The ability to recover from difficulties.
  • Listening: Listening politely and respecting other people’s ideas.   

We then have specific Character Muscles which we focus on developing in each phase:

 

Timing of the School Day

EYFS & KS1

LKS2

UKS2
  • Undependence: Not relying on others to do things for you.  Showing that you can learn to do things for yourself.
  • Communicating: Sharing your own ideas freely and clearly with others.
  • Imitation: Using something or someone as a model to learn from.
  • Feeling Safe and Secure: Being able to feel relaxed and comfortable.  You can help others to feel this too.
  • Improving: To make something better, in any way, than it already is.
  • Confidence: Believing in yourself and your abilities. Not being shy of trying
  • Respect: Admiring someone, and also listening to others and considering their views.
  • Questioning: Asking questions if you’re unsure. Asking questions to develop deeper understanding and asking why.
  • Courage: The ability to face challenges, even if they are daunting and trying things even if they may fail.
  • Self-Esteem: Feeling good about yourself and others. 
  • Optimism: Thinking positively and seeing the bright side.
  • Integrity: Being honest and telling the truth.  Doing the ‘right thing.’
  • Reasoning:  The ability to think, talk, and write about things in a logical, sensible way.  May involve seeing other points of view.
  • Good Humour: Being in a good mood, and trying to brighten other people’s mood.

Making Links: Thinking in depth and connecting ideas and skills together

Problem Solving: Using a variety of strategies and resources to help you solve something difficult.  May involve perseverance.

Empathy & Compassion: The ability to understand other people’s feelings, and find the best way to help or comfort them when they need it.

Humility and Gratitude: Being modest and not showing off.  Being thankful and showing appreciation.

Peace: Freedom from disturbance.  You can feel it, and help create it.

Self-Efficacy: Believing that through your actions you can achieve.

Self-Awareness: Thinking about your own thinking and learning, and being aware of what you are doing.

 

Annual Character Education highlights and special ‘Discovery Days’

  • Happy Lunchtimes – Friendship, Respect & Kindness
  • Character Education Day
  • Rock Kidz
  • Leadership Councils
  • Pupil Sports Leaders
  • Value Assemblies
  • Medical Mavericks – Curiosity & Questioning
  • Y5 Residential to Whitehall – Determination, Perseverance and Team Work
  • Y3 Residential to Beaumanor Hall– Determination, Perseverance and Teamwork
  • World Religion Day – Respect for different cultures and faiths
  • Diwali Day – Respect for different cultures and faiths
  • Well-being Day
  • Remembrance Day – Gratitude & Courage
  • Kindness & Anti-Bullying Day
  • British Science Week - Curiosity
  • Respect for the Environment
  • Fundraising
  • Charactermas
  • Gardening Club Pop-Up Stall
  • Anti-Bullying Ambassadors
  • UKS2 WOW Week
  • Y5/6 Christmas Enterprise Scheme
  • Y5/6 Summer Enterprise Scheme
  • Children's Mental Health Week