Character Education

*Pupil Quotes Pending*

Character education is developed in a number of ways across our well deigned curriculum and it is in fact at the heart of our culture and ethos and general ‘life’ at Greenside Primary School. Character education, includes all aspects of school life such as : assemblies, subject lessons, theme weeks, sports, performance, the arts, clubs, outdoor and adventurous activities, hobbies and subject learning clubs. These opportunities help young people to explore and express their character and build the skills they need for resilience, empathy and employability.

Research suggests that there are enabling character traits which can improve educational attainment, engagement with school and attendance. A literature review for the Education Endowment Foundation and Cabinet Office found that:

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.

In Collaboration with our pupils, staff and wider school community we created our 'Great at Greenside' core visions and values:

Safety - It is our duty to provide a safe environment and to teach our children how to keep themselves safe and healthy. It is important that everyone feels safe in our school and knows who to tell and what to do if they don't feel this way.

Collaboration - We are committed to working in partnership with our children, parents/carers, staff, governors and the wider community. This happens through effective communication and the wide variety of active groups and organisations at Greenside Primary School. We listen to each other and learn from our mistakes. We work together as a team and help each other to achieve our goals.

Inclusion - Greenside Primary School welcomes children families of all faiths and cultures. We recognise that every child is special and has individual needs. We enjoy, celebrate and learn from our differences which enables us to develop as upstanding citizens.

Respect - We value and respect every member of the school by being polite, kind and caring. We show admiration for each other.

Honesty - Truth and honesty is a vital part of being able to trust everyone in our school. We want everyone to be sincere and fair about things that affect us. We ensure that our school has an atmosphere of openness, providing clear and easy channels of communications.

Recognition - Greenside enables everyone to be proud and recognise their achievements by celebrating every success, no matter how small. We encourage everyone to do their very best and persevere in the face of challenges. We always appreciate and recognise hard work and effort.

Reflection - We believe that reflecting on your learning and behaviour has huge benefits to your successes. We are honest and learn from what has happened and then try to change.

Aspirations - Our ethos is one of no excuses, high expectations and hard work resulting in the provision of learning experiences and opportunities which challenge, support and meet the academic, personal, social and spiritual needs of every child. We have the highest expectations of every member of our school community and encourage everyone to take responsibility for themselves and their learning and make a contribution to the success of the school. It is important that everyone has fun whilst learning.

Happiness - Everyone has the right to be and feel happy. We believe that if we follow our Greenside rules then all our children, parents/carers, staff, governors and the community will be and feel happy.