News

School of Character Quality Mark

On Tuesday 6th February 2024 we were awarded the ‘School of Character Quality Mark’ from the Association for Character Education. We are so proud of our staff, students and school community for this wonderful achievement. This award recognises the commitment of our staff to our students and our vision: that school is for both academic achievement and for equipping students with the tools they need to become virtuous and happy adults.

We wanted to share with you some of the feedback that we received from the assessor, Tom Haigh. Mr Haigh said that the uniqueness of our approach to character development came from the prioritising of ‘Moral Virtues’ within our staff body and school community. He reported that both students and staff spoke about our culture of kindness and gratitude. He was clear that staff are excellent role models of character and that this is recognised by students. Mr Haigh could see how our huge range of co-curricular activities would help students with character development.

He was full of praise for our high quality character curriculum which provides students with cultural capital, philosophical and ethical knowledge and understanding, alongside opportunities to develop practical wisdom (phronesis). He liked our rewards system and said that students aspire to get their character virtues badges but that they also understand that having good character is about becoming a good person rather than for a reward. All of our students were positive and excited about character days and could reflect on the purpose of different activities they had taken part in.