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CHEAM | CHARACTER EDUCATION

Cheam School is incredibly passionate about the importance and value of character education for their children.

From the moment the children walk through the gates of Cheam, they begin a journey of not just academic growth, but one of personal and social development as well. In a world where information is at our fingertips, where knowledge is abundant and easily accessible, the skills that will truly set their children apart are not just academic—they are social and personal skills as well as character.

Head, Nick Milbank commented, “Cheam was founded in 1645 and while we are proud of our heritage and traditions, we are a progressive and forwarding thinking community. Character ÍÑ¿ã°É sets us apart from many other prep schools, we are putting character development centre-stage and see it as the key to unlocking all other potential within our children. With character, no matter what ability, all children can succeed in anything that they put their minds to.”

As the landscape evolves, with the rise of artificial intelligence and rapid technological advancements, the need for strong, well-rounded individuals is greater than ever. The future of work, relationships, and society will rely on individuals who are resilient, adaptable, responsible and kind. These are the very qualities that Cheam are committed to nurturing in their children.

Head of Character ÍÑ¿ã°É, Annabel Billinger commented, “Here at Cheam, we believe that every child has the potential to grow into a positive, upstanding citizen. Our mission is to help them become the very best version of themselves by focusing on what we call “curious minds, kind hearts, and community spirit.” We encourage our children to embrace these values, not just as pupils, but as human beings who will contribute meaningfully to the world around them.” 

Hugo Fildes & Annabel Billinger

Character ÍÑ¿ã°É at Cheam falls under three main umbrellas: character caught, character sought, and character taught.

1. Character caught: Knowing that children learn by example, and it’s crucial to catch and reward those moments when children naturally display positive behaviours. When a child is kind, respectful, or takes responsibility without being asked, the school want to recognise and celebrate that.

2. Character sought: Equally important is providing opportunities for children to actively develop their character. Over the years, Cheam has created many ways for children to take ownership of their growth, including joining committees such as the IT Council, Food Council, Boarding Council, and more. Through these opportunities, the staff encourage pupils to reflect, contribute, and lead—building confidence, empathy, and leadership.

3. Character taught: The staff actively teach the key traits that they believe are essential—resilience, resourcefulness, reflectiveness, respect, responsibility, and building positive relationships. Through our Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PSHE) education program, and in everyday interactions such as leading a group in an academic setting, the children are taught how to navigate the complexities of life with strength and integrity.

Director of Teaching and Learning, Hugo Fildes commented, “As a school, we want to model, reward and embed good character., We want to encourage children to think critically about who they are, how they relate to others, and how they can positively influence their community. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from our Year 6 to 8 pupils who are using the platform. We believe this will be a cornerstone of how we nurture character in the years to come.” 

The Cheam Diploma | Kloodle

A significant initiative that the school have launched is the Cheam Diploma. The Cheam Diploma allows pupils to reflect on their own behaviour and to use Kloodle, an online platform, that has specifically adapted to respond to Cheam’s ambitious programme. Through the platform the pupils log examples of their character development.

The Cheam Diploma encourages the children to focus on 5 areas of personal development. Responsibility, Resilience, Respect, Relationships and Reflection & Resourcefulness. Each individual pupil has what they call a ‘Skills Wheel’ on their Kloodle profile, which illustrates their growth and skill development across the five areas. 

In order to motivate pupils, Cheam devised a points-based system to reward learners, effectively quantifying character. Diploma Points are awarded for a wide range of different tasks under each ‘R’ character category. When pupils successfully carry out different tasks in the relevant lists which are housed on Kloodle, they receive the associated points. The system feeds into a bronze, silver, gold award, not dissimilar to the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Another advantage of the new platform is that pupils can keep their profiles beyond Cheam as a record of their development. It will also be used to form part of the application for children as they move onto their senior schools, thus enabling children to present themselves in a new and exciting format, as future ready young people, able to reflect and grow.



October 2024