Values-based Education (VbE) is an approach to learning that puts values at the centre of everyday school life. It creates a strong learning environment that enhances academic attainment and develops students’ social and relationship skills that last throughout their lives. VbE is about learning how to be a good friend, about respect, being responsible and resilient; about empathy, kindness and honesty. At Meritton, we model and integrate these qualities into everyday school life, helping young learners grow in confidence and maturity.
Aims of VbE
- Teach ‘values vocabulary’
- Develop understanding of values
- Nurture development of spiritual, social, emotional, and civic competencies
- Strengthen relationships
- Encourage responsibility
- Promote enactment of values
- Allow students to become thinking, self-responsible, and caring citizens
How do children learn values at school?
- One month focus on each value.
- Weekly Monday assemblies when students come together for a story or other activity to reinforce learning about that value.
- Weekly values lessons, when we focus activities on learning about that particular value.
- Daily integration of learning about values at every opportunity.
- Daily reflection time
- End of the month Values Celebration to acknowledge our accomplishments together.
Meritton’s Values
Each year we survey students, teachers and parents to find out which values are most important to our school community. These then become the values we focus on during the school year. In 2022-23, the school community has chosen the following 15 school values.
RESPONSIBILITY
RESPECT
KINDNESS & COMPASSION
HONESTY
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
COOPERATION
HAPPINESS
PATIENCE
RESILIENCE
EMPATHY
GRATITUDE
HUMILITY
CONFIDENCE
DILIGENCE
CREATIVITY
