Government Consults Jubilee Centre on Character Education - Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues

On 5th October Professor James Arthur presented on Character Education and Resilience at a Roundtable discussion in London with Senior Civil Servants from the Department for Education (DfE). The event, attended by leading researchers from a number of disciplinary backgrounds, displayed the ongoing commitment of the DfE to integrating character education into their policy framework. To this end, Education Secretary Damian Hinds spoke about how character should be taught and caught at the Conservative Party Conference on 3rd October; ‘I don’t think you can just walk into a class of 28 kids one day and say today, we are going to learn about character […] Of course you can’t, but these are things you pick up a lot from what happens at school, and in particular, I think, extracurricular activities play an important part’. In addition to the Jubilee Centre’s ongoing work with the DfE, on the 12th October Professor Arthur and Dr Tom Harrison met with senior Ofsted officials to advise on the place of character in the new Ofsted framework. They discussed the implicit and explicit links between character and character education in the four sections likely to be in the new framework; quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and, leadership and management. The draft framework will be published in January for consultation and implemented from September 2019.

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Character Strengths for the Working World is an essential event for PSHE Leads, Careers Leads, and Character Education Leads within UK educational institutions. Join us on Thursday, 13th July 2023, from 9am to 5pm at the beautiful Botanical Gardens, Birmingham.

This one-day conference, organised byThe Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham, aims to provide insights, knowledge, and networking opportunities for professionals committed to enhancing character development and employability skills in their students.

Our speakers will share their expertise and perspectives on educational policy and best practices for empowering students to excel in the working world through harnessing their character strengths. The event will include keynote speeches, policy and practitioner panels, interactive sessions, and opportunities to connect with a wide range of professionals and experts in the field.

Our line-up of distinguished speakers includes:

• Rt. Hon. Baroness Nicky Morgan (former Secretary of State for Education)

• Bec Tigue (Character Lead at the University of Birmingham School)

• David Harkin (CEO at 8 Billion Ideas)

• Adrian McLean (Character Ambassador and Multi-academy Trust Lead at Severn Academies)

• The Careers and Enterprise Company

Food and refreshments:

Morning coffee and pastries, lunch, afternoon tea, and a drinks reception will be provided as part of registration for you to enjoy.

Free resources:

There will be multiple free resources available for you to take away at this event. We will be launching a new workbook, based on research funded by the Society for Educational Studies, for use by careers guidance professionals and character educators to help students consider who they are, the character traits they aspire towards, and to align their career choices with this. We will also have multiple other free resources that educators can use within their practice based on over a decade of research at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues.

Attendance is free, but spaces are limited. It is essential to reserve your place in advance to avoid disappointment. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your institution's approach to character education and student employability. Register now to secure your spot at Character Strengths for the Working World.

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