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Character development is a current hot topic in education. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan’s stated aim is to make England a “global leader” in the development of children’s character and she has committed £10 million to make this happen. At a time when all aspects of our education system are facing cuts, such an investment is a good indication of the political importance attached to this issue. In this report Demos try to set out policies they believe will effectively embed character development into our education system.
The report’s structure and content make it clear that it is aiming to influence policy makers, rather than attempting to inform a wider audience by providing analysis of the broader research into character development. The consequence of this approach is to create a misleading impression that “character” is a well-defined and understood domain (like a subject) and that we know how to develop it.
