Character Education and School Values

Featherstone Primary School is a Values-based school. In order to give our children the opportunity to thrive socially, morally, personally and culturally, we underpin our practice with twenty-two carefully-chosen Values, taught on a continuous two-year cycle. Our twenty-two Values help to build the children's character education.

We are very proud to say that, in recognition of our high-quality Values work, we were awarded with the Values-based Education Quality Mark Award in June 2021.

Our Values

In choosing our Values, we consulted with children, parents, all staff and governors to ensure that the final Values reflected the needs of our children.

Each Value is studied in-depth during one month: it is introduced and worked upon in-class and then consolidated and extended in Key Stage Collective Worship. The Values are not just taught in ‘one off’ lessons, although they do have dedicated Curriculum time during Healthy Mind, Healthy Body lessons (HMHB), they are linked throughout the curriculum, especially through PSHE and RE. Values can also be seen in everyday events and goings-on in school. They are not just studied; they are lived in classrooms, corridors, on the playground and in the dinner hall.

Our twenty-two Values are studied in each and every year group so that, by the time children leave at the end of Year Six, they have a thorough understanding of all Values that we feel build good, whole children, who can go out into the world and genuinely make it a better place.

In actively teaching and promoting our Values, we aim for our children to develop into well-rounded individuals who care for themselves, others and society. Our twenty-two Values are:

Year	Month	Value
Year A	September	Respect
	October	Diversity
	November	Friendliness
	December	Honesty
	January	Self-discipline
	February	Trust
	March	Co-operation
	April	Patience
	May	Self-belief
	June	Courtesy
	July	Aspiration

Year	Month	Value
Year B	September	Kindness
	October	Perseverance
	November	Courageous Advocacy
	December	Independence
	January	Responsibility
	February	Understanding
	March	Compromise
	April	Environmentalism
	May	Resilience
	June	Individuality
	July	Thoughtfulness

The 2023 - 2024 year is 'Year A.'

'Year B' shall next be taught from September 2024.

These twenty-two values complement the work that we complete on the Fundamental British Values (also taught through HMHB). In school, excellent role models, known as 'Values Ambassadors,' also shape our Values work and have an input into what the Values should be like in school.

Here are our 'Character Education Skills Ladders,' written by our Values Ambassadors, that help children live their lives by Values in each of the year groups.