Personal and Character Development
At Graven Hill Primary and Preschool, we believe that education is about more than academic success alone. Developing children’s character, values and sense of responsibility is central to our vision for every pupil. Through our Personal Development and Character curriculum, we support children to grow into thoughtful, resilient and ethical individuals who are prepared to contribute positively to their community and wider society.
Our approach is intentional, evidence‑informed and rooted in research. In September 2023, we launched a new branch of our PSHE curriculum based on the work of the University of Birmingham’s Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, ensuring that character education is taught explicitly, progressively and meaningfully.
Our Character Education Curriculum
The foundation of our character education is the Jubilee Centre’s Building Blocks of Character, which identifies four key types of virtues that work together to shape the whole child:
- Intellectual virtues – such as curiosity, critical thinking and love of learning
- Moral virtues – including honesty, kindness, respect and integrity
- Civic virtues – such as responsibility, fairness and contribution to community life
- Performance virtues – including resilience, perseverance and self‑discipline
These virtues are taught explicitly through our PSHE curriculum and reinforced across school life. Together, they support the development of the overarching meta‑virtue of phronesis — practical wisdom — which enables children to make good choices, apply their values in real situations and balance competing demands thoughtfully.
Personal Development Through PSHE
Our PSHE curriculum provides structured opportunities for children to explore who they are, how they relate to others and how they can navigate the challenges of growing up. Learning is carefully sequenced and age‑appropriate, supporting children’s emotional literacy, self‑awareness and social understanding.
Through discussion, reflection and real‑life scenarios, pupils learn to:
- Understand and manage emotions
- Build positive relationships
- Make responsible choices
- Show empathy and respect for others
- Develop confidence and self‑belief
This learning supports children’s wellbeing and helps them to develop the personal skills needed for success in school and beyond.
The Graven Hill Way – Behaviour and Habits
To further strengthen character development, we have developed a behaviour curriculum known as The Graven Hill Way. This sets out the rules, routines and expectations that are explicitly taught to all pupils.
We believe that positive behaviour is learned through clear modelling, consistent practice and shared understanding. By teaching expectations directly, we help children to develop strong habits, self‑control and a sense of responsibility for their actions.
The Graven Hill Way supports pupils to:
- Understand expectations clearly
- Develop self‑discipline and resilience
- Take responsibility for their choices
- Feel safe, valued and ready to learn
This approach ensures that behaviour supports learning and contributes to a calm, respectful and purposeful school culture.
You can read the details of the 'Graven Hill Way' curriculum for behaviour by downloading a copy from the bottom of this page.
Preparing Children for Life Beyond School
Our Personal Development and Character curriculum ensures that children leave Graven Hill with:
- A strong moral compass and sense of right and wrong
- Confidence to make thoughtful, responsible decisions
- Respect for others and appreciation of diversity
- Resilience, perseverance and self‑belief
- The habits and attitudes needed for lifelong success
By combining research‑informed character education, high‑quality PSHE and an explicit behaviour curriculum, we support children to grow not only as learners, but as individuals — ready to face the opportunities and challenges of the future with confidence, integrity and compassion.