Character Development

We aim to educate our young people by providing them with a wealth of opportunities, both inside the classroom and beyond the classroom. Our goal is to enable all our students to develop a strong moral code so that they are able to take their place as active citizens, ready to contribute positively to their communities and the wider world around them. We aim to ensure that our students develop into virtuous, confident, and compassionate young adults, who are effective contributors to society, successful learners, and responsible citizens. We encourage our students to develop a commitment to serving others, to participate in a wide range of activities (both in and outside school), to develop the ability to lead others and of course, the skills to effectively learn.

We aim to develop Character through a variety of approaches including:

Our school virtues
An ambitious curriculum for all.
PSHE and HRSE
Assemblies
Chaplaincy
The St Benedict’s School Challenges for KS3 (more details below about our Challenges)
A co – curriculum which includes a wide range of activities including artistic, creative, performance, sporting, debating, challenge, team and individual etc. so all pupils can both discover new interests and develop existing ones

School Challenges

By developing Character, we aim to support the development of the skills required to succeed in and contribute to society:

the ability to remain motivated by long-term goals, to see a link between effort in the present and pay-off in the longer-term, overcoming and persevering through, and learning from, setbacks;
the learning and habituation of positive moral attributes, ‘virtues’, and including, stewardship, humility, diligence, dignity, humility, forgiveness and truthfulness, alongside others;
the acquisition of social confidence and the ability to make points or arguments clearly and constructively, listen attentively to the views of others, behave with courtesy and good manners and speak persuasively to an audience;
an appreciation of the importance of long-term commitments which frame the successful and fulfilled life, for example to spouse, partner, role or vocation, the local community, to faith or world view. This helps individuals to put down deep roots and gives stability and longevity to lifetime endeavours.

Research suggests that there are enabling character traits which can improve educational attainment, engagement with school and attendance.

High self-efficacy, or self-belief, is associated with better performance, more persistence and greater interest in work;
Highly motivated children (linked to tenacity) driven internally and not by extrinsic rewards show greater levels of persistence and achievement;
Good self-control (or self-regulation, the ability to delay gratification) is associated with greater attainment levels;

and

Having good coping skills (part of being able to bounce back) is associated with greater well-being.

As members of the Catholic Church, we are all called upon to preserve the dignity of all human beings, to care for creation, and to reach out to our sisters and brothers in need. Pope Francis emphasises that it is our duty to work together to bring about a more just and peaceful world: to put love into action.

The St Benedict’s School Challenges help our pupils help to become global citizens who lead a fulfilled life.

The Challenges help us to ensure our school virtues become a habit of life.

An example of a challenge:

Year 7 December Challenge

Virtue: Diligence

Character Trait: Joy

Theme: Festival of Winter Walks

Nature Walk

Enjoy fresh air and discover nature whilst you exercise together. Visit a nearby preserve or a beach near your home.

Visit somewhere new and find ways to enjoy to great outdoors to stimulate our senses and be the distraction we need to clear our minds.

Take time to stop and soak in the small things you see, hear and smell when you’re outdoors. Being in nature can be an enjoyable opportunity to experience something new and exciting.

Talking to people, will not only improve their day but ours too. Ask somebody out on a walk so you can talk, explore and admire nature together. Being kind and positive, having a laugh, talking or just listening to someone else talk can remind us that we all have something positive to offer each other.