3. Head, Heart, Health and Heroics:
a better balance for schools
Head Heart Health Heroics
1. Define what we value in young people and…
2. use technology and data to amplify what we value.
3. In what we do and measure, be genuinely respectful of young
people.
4. Integrate ‘character’ development into the everyday work of schools.
5. Learn to move onwards by looking inwards and outwards (and never
waste a good crisis).
7. Head Heart Health Heroics
“ There are some leaders who when things go well they look in
the mirror and feel good about themselves. When things go
wrong, these same leaders have a propensity to look out the
window and find others to blame.
Alternatively, there are leaders who when things go well they
look out the window and look for people to thank and
recognise, ensuring that the praise is spread around and that
people get credit when it’s due.
When things go wrong, these same leaders look into the
mirror and analyse their actions to see if they could have done
something different, taking responsibility and learning from
the experience.”
Jim Collins, Good to Great
8. Head Heart Health Heroics
Technology can provide
a window onto the
world and information
with which we can
make sense of
ourselves in that world.
13. Head Heart Health Heroics
Children in England ranked 30th out of 39
countries in Europe surveyed for subjective
well‐being. Children around 14 to 15 have the
lowest subjective well‐being.
Children who are regularly active have higher
well‐being compared to children who are not.
Children who use computers and the internet
regularly have higher well‐being than children
who do not.
Poorer children were twice as likely to say
they were unhappy and almost three times
more likely to say they had low life
satisfaction.
14. Head Heart Health Heroics
60% of UK children aged 11 to 15 talked to
their mother about things that matter more
than once a week in 2011‐12, compared
with half (51%) in 2002. Similarly, 37% talked
to their father frequently in 2011‐12,
compared with 31% in 2002.
35% of 11‐15 are overweight including obese
In 2011–12 in the UK, 8 out of 10 boys (79%)
reported being relatively happy with their
appearance. Fewer than 7 out of 10 girls
(68%) reported the same
15. Head Heart Health Heroics
“Contrary to negative stereotypes,
today’s teenagers are characterised by
their tolerance, compassion and
motivation to tackle social issues. They
do not rely on politicians and others to
solve the world’s problems, but instead
roll up their sleeves and power up their
laptop and smartphone to get things
done through crowd‐sourced
collaboration. They value bottom‐up
social action.”
16. Head Heart Health Heroics
“ Developing a balance of skills in
childhood, both cognitive and social and
emotional, is important for success in adult
life. With this in mind, well‐evidenced
interventions that support parents, schools
and communities to develop children’s
emotional wellbeing, self‐regulation, and
young people’s sense of their own efficacy
in the world, alongside their cognitive
development, are likely to be very
beneficial in the long‐term.”
23. Head Heart Health Heroics
“ Just as important to the next generation’s future as getting a
sound academic grounding, is ensuring they have the
resilience and grit to deal with the challenges that life will
throw at them. To support schools we’re investing in character
education, supporting projects like the cadets, debating in
schools and team building activities, and providing support to
help the best of these projects expand. “
Nicky Morgan: why knowledge matters, Dept for Education,
Jan 2015
24. Head Heart Health Heroics
Zest (approaching life with excitement and energy; feeling alive and activated)
Self‐Control (regulating what one feels and does; being self‐disciplined)
Gratitude (being aware of and thankful for opportunities that one has and for good things
that happen)
Curiosity (taking an interest in experience and learning new things for its own sake; finding
things fascinating)
Optimism (expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it)
Grit (finishing what one starts; completing something despite obstacles; a combination of
persistence and resilience)
Social Intelligence (being aware of motives and feelings of other people and oneself,
including the ability to reason within large and small groups)
KIPP Schools USA, the seven ‘highly predictive’ strengths, 2014
25. Head Heart Health Heroics
As YoungMinds reported in May, there has been a tripling
in the number of cases of young people receiving
counselling over exam stress recently.
The NSPCC also says its ChildLine service received over
34,000 approaches in 2014 from young people over
worries such as workloads, revision and problems with
teachers.
The recently published Jacobs report also found that
England ranks near last in pupils enjoying school, and
more English children say they are being treated unfairly
by teachers than in any other country surveyed.
The CBI chief has referred to schools as “exam factories”
in the past, and his statements align with those of
education secretary Nicky Morgan, who has called to
“build resilience and character” in schools.
30. Character: can we define it?
Head Heart Health Heroics
1. perseverance, resilience and grit
2. confidence and optimism
3. motivation, drive and ambition
4. neighbourliness and community spirit
5. tolerance and respect
6. honesty, integrity and dignity
7. conscientiousness, curiosity and focus
DFE, Character Education, Apply for Grant Funding, January 2015
37. Character: cognitive intelligence (head)
Head Heart Health Heroics
The ability to think through and solve complex problems and
originate ideas and products
Evidenced by sustained attention, flexibility of approach,
seeing patterns and connections, academic success.
Developed by purposeful challenge, questioning,
metacognition, feedback on performance.
Tested by practical problem solving, recall, testing, public
exam performance
38. Character: emotional intelligence (heart)
Head Heart Health Heroics
The ability to manage and make sense of one’s emotional
states and sustain a variety of purposeful relationships
Evidenced by self‐control, esteem of peers, friendship circles,
empathy.
Developed by purposeful collaboration, sharing, working
towards a goal, managing adversity, tolerance.
Tested by consistency of behaviour, personal and peer
interviews
39. Character: lifestyle intelligence (health)
Head Heart Health Heroics
The ability and willingness to make positive and purposeful
lifestyle choices
Evidenced by daily routines, exercise, choice of best available
diet, avoidance of ‘harmful’ activities, mature attitude towards
risk
Developed by reflection on alternatives and their consequences,
access to opportunities, consistent role models, mentoring
Tested by attendance, exercise regimes, participation in
purposeful activity, self‐regulation
40. Character: civic intelligence (heroics)
Head Heart Health Heroics
The willingness to take part in and make a contribution to life at
home or in the wider community
Evidenced by volunteering, caring for others, motivation to tackle
social issues, global outlook
Developed by active participation, recognition of contributions,
access to opportunity, experience of others’ appreciation
Tested by active participation, endorsements of others, history of
involvement, social concern
65. Character: can we teach it?
Head Heart Health Heroics
Learner Profiles: Captures individual skills, gaps, strengths, weaknesses, interests & aspirations
of each student.
Personal Learning Paths: Each student has learning goals & objectives. Learning experiences
are diverse and matched to the individual needs of students.
Individual Mastery: Continually assesses student progress against clearly defined standards &
goals. Students advance based on demonstrated mastery.
Flexible Learning Environment: Multiple instructional delivery approaches that continuously
optimize available resources in support of student learning
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2013, Personalised Learning Model
66. Character: can we teach it?
Head Heart Health Heroics
Character Awards
“Character education is a central part of our plan for
education, and we are investing £10 million to ensure
pupils develop the resilience and grit they need to
succeed in later life. Schools now have the tools and
support they need to ensure they develop well‐rounded
pupils ready to go on to an apprenticeship, university or
the world of work.”
Nicky Morgan, February 2015
• Queensbridge School,
Birmingham
• King’s Leadership Academy,
Warrington
• School 21, Newham
• Oakthorpe Primary School,
Derbyshire
67. Character: can we teach it?
Head Heart Health Heroics
1. A whole school ethos
2. Student‐led recording evidence of personal development, accompanying school‐led approaches to
measure character
3. Use of reward or award systems schemes
4. Structured reflection periods
5. Personal tutors or coaches
6. Older students working with younger students
7. Opportunities to take part in voluntary programmes and social action in school and in the local
community
8. Consideration of moral issues in a cross‐curricular manner
9. Involvement of parents, guardians and families
10. Classes in public speaking, philosophy and ethics lessons
68. A case study: Honywood
Head Heart Health Heroics
Define the desirable skills
Integrate the development of those skills into the
everyday learning experience
Construct a pedagogy which will support the
development of student ‘skills’
Construct curriculum opportunities which will provide
space for those skills to be honed and developed
Provide Choice
Allow students to showcase their development
Journey
Recognise the individual development Journey
70. A case study: Honywood Recognition
Head Heart Health Heroics
Frog Sites
Entitlement offer – you can expect to have…
Skills Passport for years 7 and 8
Open Badges for years 9, 10 and 11
A Portfolio of Evidence located on a Timeline
A record of On‐Line Engagement
A Personal website or Blog
77. Head, Heart, Health and Heroics:
a better balance for schools
Head Heart Health Heroics
1. Define what we value in young people and…
2. use technology and data to amplify what we value.
3. In what we do and measure, be genuinely respectful of young
people.
4. Integrate ‘character’ development into the everyday work of schools.
5. Learn to move onwards by looking inwards and outwards (and never
waste a good crisis).