VbE Core Components

VbE Core Components

VbE Core Components

The Seven Transformational Aspects of VbE

VbE has seven core components expressed in the acronym M.I.R.A.C.L.E:

  1. Authentic modelling by adults of positive values
  2. The Inner Curriculum, creating awareness of our thoughts, feelings and emotions
  3. Reflective practices, which links to the science of interpersonal neurobiology
  4. The creation of a calm, purposeful and happy VbE atmosphere, both physical and emotional
  5. The development of an explicit VbE curriculum and its links to the wider curriculum
  6. The development of quality values-led leadership
  7. The comprehensive development of an ethical vocabulary, which nurtures ethical intelligence 

These videos, subtitled in English or in Thai, help you understand the seven transformational pillars of VbE. They also offer you practical advice and support to embed the core components of VbE in daily life at school, at home, or in our community.

 

Modelling

Critically important to the success of VbE is authentic modelling by adults.  This is an area where many of us struggle with the “how”.  

Join Julie Rees, head teacher of Ledbury Primary School and a passionate advocate of VbE, as she explains Modelling with a clear four-part model.  Using powerful personal stories, Julie leads us through the sections of her model:

  • Passion
  • Role Models and Influencers
  • Communication
  • Stories and Assemblies

The Inner Curriculum

How do you create an oasis of calm in your school, even in the most adverse circumstances, and give opportunities for young people to be amazing?

As Neil and Jane Hawkes explain, the Inner Curriculum will transform education by allowing children to be in touch with their inner selves.  This leads to self-governance and ethical intelligence. Using stories from their long experience as education innovators, Neil and Jane help us come to grips with the Inner Curriculum using a clear practical method. They also share an illuminating demonstration of how to unpack and understand our authentic selves, the “gem” within all of us.

Reflective Practices

The third of the seven pillars is reflective practices. This is maybe one of the most powerful of the transformational factors, yet it may not always be done as well as other aspects of values-based education.  It has the most powerful influence upon individuals and whole school settings.

“You are never truly or fully yourself than when you are still.” So how can you actively teach children how to sit still in a relaxed, alert and comfortable manner?

Bridget Knight teaches us how, through practice, we can invite children to become comfortable with reflection, and with the purposeful sitting still and purposeful silence that results from this. Equally important for adults too, to create space for imagination and for focus, children can learn how to go within themselves and use this silence as a soothing tool. 

Atmosphere

What do visitors experience when they approach your school?  Does everything smile at them? Do they know straight away that this is a values-based school? Is your school a beacon in your community?

Creating a values-based atmosphere may seem daunting. Yet with clear ambition and with everyone in the school community involved, all you need is at your fingertips.

Sarah Phillips, the head-teacher of Loddon Primary School in England knows this.  Sarah and her school community have worked together over the past seven years to create such an atmosphere.

Watch and learn as Sarah explains their journey, and shares some ways in which the school community  can co-create and sustain this VbE atmosphere.

Curriculum

How do you embed a values-based approach in your school, and how do you place values at the centre of a school curriculum?

Naturally, there are formal, informal and implicit layers of curriculum provision, and values must be purposefully orchestrated with these to go beyond a “bolt-on” response. 

This can be challenging, but help is at hand.  Kathy Wood is a veteran values-based educator and sought-after consultant on education reform who shares her “3 Golden Keys” to placing values at the heart of the curriculum:

  • Think Big, Dig Deep
  • What Are Your Values – for living a good life
  • Think Big and Beyond

Leadership

Cori Bateman calls on her many years as a values-based leader to share with us her views on the essential qualities for values-based leadership.

Core Purpose – is understanding what you are really about as a school.  And then making sure that you persist in pursuit of that core purpose, being certain that everyone in the school community shares that vision and purpose.

Integrity – essential for all leaders, especially values-based leaders, integrity should be at the heart of all dialogue, thought, and action in every circumstance.  This helps keep the core purpose pure and ensures consistency.  It also enhances engagement and collaboration.

Altruism – is why we pursue our core purpose of better outcomes for our children so they can build a better world.

Positivity – calls on us to greet each new challenge as an opportunity and to have the confidence that nothing is insurmountable. 

Ethical Vocabulary

The pathway to ethical intelligence is an ethical vocabulary.  These are the words we use for our core values. Setting up your ethical vocabulary is at the heart of your values-based approach.  This requires patience and collaboration across the school community.

Join renowned international VbE consultant and advocate Sue Jones as she explains the importance of an ethical vocabulary, and offers practical advice on how to set one up.

 

VbE Quality Mark Accreditation

Meritton received full accreditation from Values-based Education Quality Mark in June 2023. (Read more)

 

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