Building Blocks of Character

Our Character for Life programme is designed to instil our four core values (pride, ambition, resilience, and social action) to create well-rounded students that believe, for them, anything is possible.

Our values sit within four key areas:

  • Pastoral
  • Enrichment
  • Curriculum
  • #WeWill

Moral Virtues are essential when making difficult decisions. To be able to respond and know what the right thing to do is something you learn as you grow and develop.

Teaching students the importance of being a good person and making the right choices is a vital part of what we do. At Sandymoor Ormiston Academy we place great importance on our pastoral programme. Students receive 40 minutes of dedicated tutor time with a varied curriculum consisting of: assemblies, reflection on how we have shown character, inter-house competitions and reading aloud.

Through this area of Character for Life, we hope to develop articulate young people who can demonstrate moral virtues such as respect, integrity, diversity and empathy.

Students will demonstrate these values through behaviours such as being on time for school, taking an active part in inter-house events, becoming Sandymoor Champions and reflecting with honesty.

Sandymoor Ormiston Academy aims to develop students’ interests in a wide range of activities beyond the classroom in order to create well-rounded, happy and healthy young people as well as supporting their character development.

There are several key character values under the Performance Virtues building blocks that we look to develop in order to support pupils in the wider world, such as teamwork, perseverance, confidence and determination.


As an academy we help build these values through:

  • Curriculum-based and enrichment trips.
  • Extensive Duke of Edinburgh Award engagement.
  • #WeWill engagement.
  • Inter-house competitions.

Intellectual qualities promote critical thinking, the pursuit of mind and encourage successful academic growth. Sandymoor Ormiston Academy believes instilling Intellectual Virtues within our students prepares them for life beyond Year 11 and for their future careers.

As an academy we help build these values through:

  • Ambitious studies, e.g. for Religious Education & Citizenship lessons.
  • Delivering high quality Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) to all year groups as part of our Liverpool City Region Careers Hub status.
  • Personal Development lessons, British Values & SMSC and the Just Read programme.

We value the importance of contributing to the wider society. #WeWill ensures our students are responsible citizens who contribute to the common good of society.
We develop these values through various initiatives:

  • #WeWill Perform
  • ShoeBox Full of Love Appeal
  • Fundraising and Volunteering
  • Themed days, assemblies and PSHE
  • Student Voice Events
  • Parent/PTA Forums
  • Food Bank Lists