Character Education at Tibshelf School

At Tibshelf School we feel that Character Education is founded on two important principles. Firstly, that character traits are the basis of individual and societal flourishing and secondly, that schools and teachers can and should play a fundamental role in developing these character traits in their students.

Character Education, both implicit and explicit, permeates all subjects at Tibshelf School as well as the general school ethos. We hold the view that character can be taught and caught in school. It is caught through the school values, ethos and culture which in turn inform how the teachers and students relate to each other. It is also taught through the activities that take place in the Personal Development strand through for example the weekly Character Tutor Time, the restorative approach taken within the Behaviour system as well as through different Teaching and Learning Activities. Teaching about the Tibshelf Characters provides the language and tools that enable students to reflect on and develop their own character.

Character Education as Tibshelf School is about helping the students grasp what is ethically important in situations and how to act for the right reasons, so they become autonomous and reflective. Students need to decide the kind of person they wish to become and to learn to choose between alternatives. At Tibshelf School we want our students to become equipped with the intellectual tools to choose wisely of their own accord within the framework of a democratic society.

The school is currently in the process of applying for the School of Character Kitemark, through the Association of Character Education, to have official recognition of the great work that is currently happening in the school and to aid the development of further Character Education strands.