Richard Ribeiro, Head Teacher of Bradford Grammar Junior School’s Clock House, shares why building character is essential for preparing children for life’s challenges.
“It’s character building, son.” This was often my father’s refrain when he felt I needed to push beyond my comfort zone as a child growing up. Whether it was waking early before school (often in the dark!) to feed the family chickens in our garden, or visiting his patients on hospital wards on Christmas morning in his role as a consultant surgeon, these experiences were never presented as optional extras – they were simply part of life.
At Clock House, we take a similar view. Character is a significant element of the education process in schools. Yes, we deliver a rigorous academic education through the development of skills, knowledge and scholarship, but this is always underpinned by the deliberate nurturing of character. It could be argued that strong character is an even more vital quality in an increasingly complex and changing world.
So, what do we mean by character education, and how does it support pupils to thrive in their learning and beyond?
The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues defines character as a set of personal traits or dispositions that produce specific moral emotions, inform motivation, and guide conduct. Independent schools have supported character education for many years; building character is woven into our DNA as educators, instilling confidence and encouraging pupils to grasp the opportunities available to them.
At Clock House, we want our pupils to be courageous, curious, resilient and kind. We believe these character traits support children to thrive during their time at Bradford Grammar School and prepare them well for life beyond the classroom and beyond childhood.
We want our pupils to be courageous and to develop a healthy risk appetite – to feel comfortable at the edges of their comfort zones and to embrace new challenges. This might be seen in pupils climbing in the adventure playground at playtime, participating in outdoor learning lessons or Forest School sessions, or having the courage to contribute in the classroom even when they are unsure of the answer.
Children are naturally curious, and Clock House pupils are encouraged to be curious about the world around them. This curiosity is nurtured in many ways, from observing life cycles as chicks hatch in Reception and butterflies emerge from their chrysalises in Year 1, to engaging in imaginative and ambitious humanities projects in Year 4. Before half term, our Year 4 pupils presented their rainforest projects to visitors including parents, staff and pupils from both the Junior and Senior School – a wonderful example of curiosity, confidence and pride in learning.
Resilience is another vital strand of character education. Clock House pupils are taught the importance of perseverance and of not giving up when things become difficult. These messages are reinforced through assemblies and through exposure to positive role models such as Alistair Brownlee (OB) and Emile Cairess (OB), whose achievements highlight the role of effort, commitment and determination.
Above all, pupils are encouraged to be kind and respectful. Our recently launched Courtesy Week focused on polite conversation, manners, maturity and acknowledging the efforts of others – all simple but powerful habits that support kind, respectful behaviour and a positive school culture.
Building character early matters. When we get it right, we inculcate values and traits that enable children not only to thrive in the Junior School and make a confident transition to the Senior School, but also to approach their future lives with confidence, empathy and purpose. In doing so, we remain true to a central aim of education: helping young people not just to succeed, but to flourish.
“At Clock House, we want our pupils to be courageous, curious, resilient and kind. We believe these character traits support children to thrive during their time at Bradford Grammar School and prepare them well for life beyond the classroom and beyond childhood.”