The importance of a character education

Ms Louise Simpson, Head of Exeter School, Devon shares their approach to creating a school of great character.

For almost four centuries Exeter School has proudly provided an excellent education for its pupils.

In this time the classroom has been a challenging and exciting environment, but that has only ever been a part of what makes our education excellent. Our pupils have always had many opportunities to develop their character: on the sports field, on the moors and on the water; in the work of our chapel and community service schemes; through the CCF and the expressive and performing arts, for example.

We have been developing the character of excellent Exonians through this holistic approach for centuries.

In Ancient Greece, Aristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do; Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. This virtue-ethics approach is very much the philosophy that sits at the heart of our character education. Our intentional programme to develop the civic, intellectual, performance and moral virtues in our pupils gives them the traits needed to thrive in life, both at school and beyond. We want them to aspire to contribute in a positive way to the community in which they live, and to flourish in life, both at school and in adult life beyond.

Our purpose and virtues are crucial in supporting the character development of our pupils, and making them exceptional young people, ready for whatever challenges they encounter in life. In addition, they sit at the heart of all that the school does. In being a school of character, we want our whole community to embrace this approach. This means considering others and the world around us when making decisions, ensuring that we nurture and develop our staff team, work in a sustainable way, work collaboratively with others, including our partner organisations, and ensure that we remain accountable for our choices.

Our virtues

- To inspire and challenge curious minds: We are curious, independent thinkers, achieving beyond our expectations.

- To act with kindness and integrity: We act with integrity, respect and kindness for others and ourselves.

- To welcome and serve: We are an inclusive Exonian community, valuing diversity and equality, and giving back to others.

- To endeavour and collaborate: We work together and strive for excellence in everything we do, continuing to endeavour when faced with challenge.

Academic results should be just one of the factors in the development of our pupils. The virtues we instil in them will shape the future of tomorrow. Such strong foundations have made us an exceptional school for many centuries, and we look forward to the future with excitement, just as our young people do.

This article first appeared in the 2024 edition of Which School? You can view the digital version of the guidebook here: