On 7 February 2019, secretary of state Damian Hinds pledged that the government would develop benchmarks for character education. Schools and academies will be invited to assess themselves against these criteria. The first step he will take is to appoint an advisory group to make proposals to grow “character and resilience” in pupils and propose benchmarks against which schools/academies will be rated in the area.
The benchmarks are to mirror the Gatsby ones for careers guidance. Gatsby benchmarks are statutory. (See Annex.) Schools/academies must use them to rate their own work on careers. However, no action – punitive or otherwise – will be taken by the government against institutions that fail to comply with them.
Addressing the Church of England’s Foundation for Educational Leadership conference, the education secretary said he expected the advisory group to report its recommendations in September, “with a view to implementing next year”.
