-Simon Uttley-

Character education does not just nurture the moral, social, and personal development of young people; it regards this as intrinsic to a life well lived. In an educational environment where, for over a generation, the tendency towards reductivist neoliberal versions of ‘knowledge transfer’ has so often stifled rather than enriched children’s experiences – unless they were fortunate enough to find themselves in settings with the space, mindset and values to offer more – I would suggest that holistic education can no longer be seen as an enriched version of education – it is the only version worthy of the name.  Within special educational needs provision too, where, at its best this is genuinely centred on the child’s flourishing (as against negotiating the many resource constraints that lead to a sub-optimal experience for all concerned) it is particularly valuable because it affirms every child’s capacity for growth, recognises diverse pathways to flourishing, and places relationships at the centre of learning rather than academic attainment alone (Arthur, 2003). So how can character education be developed within SEN contexts and what are its particular strengths?

Foundations of Character Education in SEN

Character education in SEN settings assumes that all children, regardless of cognitive ability or developmental difference, possess moral agency and can develop virtue (Kristjánsson, 2015). This moves beyond viewing SEN pupils through a deficit lens, affirming instead their fundamental dignity and potential for personal excellence within their own parameters.

The approach draws on Aristotelian virtue ethics, which emphasises cultivating good habits through practice, modelling, and scaffolded experience (Curren & Kotzee, 2014). For SEN learners, this practical, experiential orientation is valuable precisely because it prioritises lived experience and behavioural formation over abstract moral reasoning. My preference for the word character over virtue is, merely that the latter has been somewhat hijacked in the last few hundred years to suggest something of an unattainable level of ‘goodness’. The point of character – and virtue properly so called – is that it is about daily practice, the development of effective judgement and the importance of learning from role models – the apprenticeship model – over and above either knowledge transfer (this is what you should do) or punitive language (this is what you mustn’t do). Both have their place, of course – ‘don’t run into the road’ is not a matter for ‘experiential learning’, the cost being somewhat high. But if, as educators, we believe in the unique dignity of each young person, irrespective of what makes them unique, then cultivating  an environment that will offer a blend of knowledge, understanding, empathy and good judgement – in other words, cultivating the possibility of wisdom – is surely a worthwhile endeavour.

Practical strategies

Explicit character education

SEN settings can introduce character virtues through multi-sensory, concrete methods. Visual supports, social stories, and simplified language help pupils grasp concepts such as kindness, courage, or perseverance (Peterson & Park, 2009). Regular discussion of character during circle time or assemblies embeds this vocabulary into school culture.

Staff modelling is highly impactful across all settings, including SEN contexts. Pupils learn virtue through observing trusted adults demonstrating patience, respect, and compassion in daily interactions (Berkowitz & Bier, 2005). The relational intensity of SEN provision—with higher staff ratios and therapeutic relationships—creates favourable conditions for this apprenticeship in virtue. Systems and consistency matter, so long as they serve young people, not in spite of them, not least because inflexibility (rather than measured consistency) does not encourage young people to develop a sense of trust, let alone a desire to replicate the actions of those adults around them.

Structured practice

Character develops through deliberate practice. SEN school provision can create opportunities through:

• Peer mentoring schemes adapted to ability levels
• Responsibility roles such as classroom monitors, eco-warriors, or wellbeing ambassadors.
• Service learning projects engaging with the wider community
• Discussing role models (in literature, the media etc) and critically reflecting on what makes certain people significant to us.
• Restorative approaches to conflict that emphasise repairing relationships
• Meaningful praise: recognising character growth through awards, certificates, and positive narration helps SEN pupils internalise their developing virtues. Celebration assemblies that highlight kind actions, brave choices, or persistent effort reinforce the school’s commitment to character alongside academic achievement

Personalised Approaches

Character education goals can be embedded within Education, Health and Care Plans, with specific character targets aligned with individual needs (Lickona & Davidson, 2005). A pupil with autism might focus on patience, whilst another with ADHD might work on self-regulation and resilience. Understanding how such strategies are received and internalised by young people is also important, given the danger of simply ‘doing good’ without regard for the lived impact.

Strengths of the approach

Inclusive and Accessible

Character education’s emphasis on universal human virtues transcends cognitive ability. Pupils across the SEN spectrum—from moderate learning difficulties to profound and multiple learning disabilities—can engage with concepts of kindness, friendship, and courage, even when academic curricula prove inaccessible (Nucci, 2016). There is little more powerful than witnessing a child who may have been ‘done to’ or ‘done for’ for much of their experience exercising real agency. Being a change-maker.

Strengths-based

Rather than concentrating on deficits or therapeutic needs, character education identifies and builds upon pupils’ existing strengths. A non-verbal pupil might demonstrate extraordinary patience; a pupil with Down syndrome, exceptional kindness. Again, providing appropriate means to evaluate why these strengths are, in fact, strengths and how they are strengths for life is equally important. This approach can greatly enhance self-esteem and agency (White & Waters, 2015).

Social and emotional development

Many SEN pupils struggle with social communication, emotional regulation, or relationship formation. Character education provides explicit teaching and practice in these domains, complementing therapeutic interventions whilst embedding learning in authentic social contexts (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2015).

Preparation for adulthood

Character virtues such as responsibility, resilience, and integrity are essential for independent living, employment, and community participation—key outcomes for SEN learners transitioning to adulthood (Department for Education, 2015). Character education thus aligns with statutory objectives for preparation for adulthood. How do we, especially in ‘Mainstream’ schools, really celebrate the development of character and, given the old adage that we only value what we measure, do we ensure our reports home and interactions with parents for all children (not just within SEND), recognise this?

Whole-school ethos

Character education fosters a school culture characterised by mutual respect, high expectations, and shared values. For SEN pupils, who often experience fragmented provision across multiple settings, a coherent, virtue-centred ethos provides security and consistency (Seider, 2012). But a character-valuing school will struggle to become truly effective if the climate for working – the staff experience – is also one that fosters flourishing, rather than one that stifles it through, for example, poor leadership.

Counters marginalisation

By affirming that character development represents the highest educational aim for all pupils, character education resists the marginalisation of SEN learners to purely functional or therapeutic curricula. It asserts their full membership in the moral and civic community (Nussbaum, 2006).

Conclusion

So, for me as a school leader, proud to be an ACE (Association for Character Education) charter Mark school, I believe character education offers a valuable framework for SEN provision, one that honours the dignity and potential of every learner whilst providing practical pathways for moral, social, and personal development. Its strengths lie in its accessibility, its affirmation of human flourishing beyond narrow academic measures, and its capacity to create inclusive communities where all pupils are valued as moral agents. As schools seek to provide genuinely holistic education for SEN pupils, character education warrants serious consideration as both a philosophical foundation and a practical methodology.

References

Arthur, J. (2003). Education with character: The moral economy of schooling. RoutledgeFalmer.

Berkowitz, M. W., & Bier, M. C. (2005). What works in character education: A research-driven guide for educators. Character Education Partnership.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. (2015). CASEL guide: Effective social and emotional learning programs—Middle and high school edition. Author.

Curren, R., & Kotzee, B. (2014). Can virtue be measured? Theory and Research in Education, 12(3), 266–282. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878514545207

Department for Education. (2015). Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

Kristjánsson, K. (2015). Aristotelian character education. Routledge.

Lickona, T., & Davidson, M. (2005). Smart and good high schools: Integrating excellence and ethics for success in school, work, and beyond. Center for the 4th and 5th Rs/Character Education Partnership.

Nucci, L. (2016). Character: A multi-faceted developmental system. Journal of Character Education, 12(1), 1–16.

Nussbaum, M. C. (2006). Frontiers of justice: Disability, nationality, species membership. Harvard University Press.

Peterson, C., & Park, N. (2009). Classifying and measuring strengths of character. In S. J. Lopez & C. R. Snyder (Eds.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology (2nd ed., pp. 25–33). Oxford University Press.

Seider, S. (2012). Character compass: How powerful school culture can point students toward success. Harvard Education Press.

White, M. A., & Waters, L. E. (2015). A case study of ‘The Good School’: Examples of the use of Peterson’s strengths-based approach with students. Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(1), 69–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2014.920408