Character education has become one of the big issues in the current education debate. In response to observations from employers that school leavers did not possess the necessary skills for the workplace, the government introduced character education into schools, suggesting that academic standards were no longer enough for success in the modern world.
There are various strands to the debate. Whose responsibility is it to raise children of good character? How is good character defined? Can character be taught or is it learnt by example? Should Ofsted measure character development as part of school inspections?
For Christians, a significant strand of the debate is the purpose of character education. Is it about more than just improving standards and instilling resilience and grit in the future workforce? Should character taught within a moral framework?
The following pages offer various aspects of the character education debate ranging from commentators on the issue to researchers in the field.
Articles written by informed participants in the debate
Documents and Reports on current and past research
Media coverage from the education and national press
Websites offering a range of views from different learning contexts