Secretary of State for Education Announces Multi-million Pound Fund for Character Education

Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan MP, has announced a multi-million pound fund to improve character education in England. The £3.5million fund will be available for schools to apply for in order to expand on activities that help to build character in pupils. The funding is intended to promote and encourage character education and for schools to place as much value on it as academic attainment for pupils. The announcement comes shortly after details of awards worth up to £20,000 each for schools and organisations that are already doing excellent work in character education were released.

Nicky Morgan said about the new fund: “The move is a landmark step for our education system. It will cement our position as a global leader in teaching character and resilience, and will send a clear signal that our young people are being better prepared than ever before to lead tomorrow’s Britain.”

The Education Endowment (EEF) has also launched a £1million funding round to run trials examining the most effective ways to develop characteristics such as motivation, perseverance and resilience in students. The funding is open to schools, local authorities, charities, universities and other non-profit organisations interested in testing other ways of developing non-cognitive skills in students.

Please find below coverage of the story so far:

England to become ‘global leader’ in teaching character and grit

Nicky Morgan: lessons in character ‘just as important’ as academic grades

NUT comment on Nicky Morgan’s push to improve character education in England

Ignore the Cynics: Make ‘Academics and Character’ the Goal of Education

/userfiles/jubileecentre/images/newsletter-thumbs/2023/May/CSWWMay23.png

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.

Hear more from us