A framework for character and resilience
By Mr Christopher Bradbury, Principal
In 2019, the UK Education Secretary, Damien Hinds, delivered an excellent address on the importance of character development and resilience in schools. He said, 'The reason character and resilience matter so much to me is that they are key to social mobility. Social mobility starts with giving young people the unstoppable confidence that they can achieve amazing things, teaching them to cope with the challenges life brings and recognise their achievements – because they each have their own, unique potential to fulfil.'
Character education has been a significant talking point in the UK for several years now and it’s positive to see that Ofsted (the chief UK inspection body of schools) has now mandated monitoring how effective schools are in developing the character of their students. It’s a positive move because it’s a deliberate measurement of how schools need to achieve academic outcomes and develop character.
Damien Hinds went further in his address by arguing that there are 4 foundations for building character in our schools including:
- Sport
- Creativity and performance
- Volunteering (service)
- The world of work
I agree wholeheartedly with this framework and believe it enables us to reflect on how we develop these areas at Radford and how we plan to build upon these foundational areas for the future.
Sport – Traditional, competitive team sports and a wide range of other physical activities. Through both victory and defeat, athletes learn resilience, teamwork and the importance of perseverance. They develop a strong work ethic, a sense of discipline and the ability to handle pressure.
Creativity and performance – This features all kinds of thoughtful and inventive activities, as well as expressive activities for individuals or in a group, including drama, theatre, dance, playing in an orchestra, singing in a choir, public speaking and debating (oracy).
Volunteering (service) – Through voluntary youth groups, campaigns of particular interest to the young or school-based initiatives, as well as structured programs like the Duke of Edinburgh.
World of work – From learning about careers and entrepreneurialism, to actual work experience or a weekend job, future readiness is a cornerstone of the educational experience, dedicated to equipping students with the skills, insights and opportunities needed to navigate their future careers.
A focus on character education is centred around allowing students to grow as individuals and discover their passions through transformative school opportunities, so they can lead a well-rounded life and contribute to a thriving society. Our intention at Radford is to develop confident and compassionate students who are effective contributors to society, successful learners and responsible citizens.
We have a moral obligation to provide a learning environment in which our students can grow in their understanding of what is good and develop their ability to protect and advance what is good. They need to develop a commitment to serving others, which is an essential manifestation of good character in action. Character involves caring for and respecting others, as well as caring for and respecting oneself.
David Hinds supports this view when he concluded:
'Of course, I want every child to excel at school and do well in their exams – but this is just one part of how education prepares them for the future. Through school and college, young people gain the skills and qualifications they need to get a well-paid job, but to truly prepare for adult life, we also need to make sure our young people build character and resilience.'
We look forward to strengthening character education at Radford next term. I wish everyone a safe and restful term break.