Association for Character Education
Welcome.
To the UK’s leading Character Education Community for teachers, leaders and practitioners.
Information
0121 828 8211
Registered Charity Number: 1178166.
Welcome to the UK’s leading Character Education Community for teachers, leaders and practitioners.
Association for Character Education
ACE exists to enable pupils and schools to flourish through the development of good character. Our research-led approach is designed to enable all schools within our network to become thriving Schools of Character.
Join Us
What is Character Education?
“Watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” Good character is essential for human flourishing but must be intentionally cultivated, with schools playing a central role. As Martin Luther King said, “Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
For character education to thrive, it must permeate all areas of school life – taught, caught and sought through a whole-school approach. Its purpose is to enable human and societal flourishing, while also providing a low-cost, high-impact way to raise standards and improve schools.
Who are we
Through our partnership with the
Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues
at the University of Birmingham, we fuse together world leading research with practical strategies from accredited Schools of Character. This combination of the theoretical and the practical, shapes the support we can provide so you can become a School/Organisation of Character, wherever you are based in the world.
In partnership with
Meet the Team
View the team >
How We Support
You
We help schools and organisations embed character education through recognition, training, resources, and expert support – guided by the proven model of Caught, Taught, and Sought.
Membership Dashboard >
3 Free Tickets to our Conference >
Quality Mark & Application >
Digital CPD Hub & Keynote VODs >
Resource Portal >
Fortnightly Bulletin >
1-1 Consultation >
Regional Hubs >
Whole School Planning Tool >
In-Person CPD >
Upcoming Conferences
Members will be notified by email when further information and registration become available.
Conference
ACE Conference 2026 – Leeds (Northern Conference)
We’re excited to announce our upcoming event, which will bring together schools and organisations from across the Southern part of
June 24, 2026
Attend
Conference
ACE Conference 2026 – Reading (Southern Conference)
We’re excited to announce our upcoming event, which will bring together schools and organisations from across the Northern part of
July 8, 2026
Attend
Membership​
Join the largest network of character-education practitioners and access all the support you need to embed character within your unique setting.
Membership
£170
Quality Mark Framework access
Application for QM Awards access
Resource Portal access
Fortnightly Insights bulletin
Three tickets to the annual conference
1-1 consultation with our expert
Regional Hubs access
Join
Recommended
Membership Plus
£225
Membership Plus includes all standard benefits plus access to our digital CPD Hub, ensuring every staff member is equipped to be a leader of character and embed it across school life.
This whole school training is rooted in proven philosophy, theory and practice, with best practice from existing Schools of Character. Membership Plus pricing is based on school size so it is cost effective for all.
Everything in Membership
Digital CPD Hub access for all staff
Conference keynote VODs
Character Education Self-Assessment Tool and Tailored Whole-School Plan Generator
Join
ACE Quality Marks
ACE awards three Quality Marks, recognising transformative character education delivered by schools, colleges, and organisations. The awards celebrate character education that is explicit, planned, and reflective, enabling the cultivation of positive character qualities in the interests of human flourishing. The Quality Mark is exclusively available to ACE members.
89%
of members rated the assessment process at least 8/10 in helping to further character provision
84%
of members rated the assessment process 10/10 in providing recognition for schools’ character education
School of Character
Quality Mark Award
School of Character
Quality Mark Plus Award
Organisation of Character
Quality Mark Award
In-Person CPD
For a school’s character education to flourish, staff and leaders need to be supported to understand the theory and practice that underpins it. And so, training is essential.
ACE can provide tailored, in-person training, for schools and organisations in the UK or overseas.
Enquire about CPD
Access to our Digital Training Hub is also available for those who have Membership Plus. Click below to see a preview.
Members get a
25
Discount
with a standard session costing £495 for UK members.
92%
of members rated the training 9 or
10 out of 10
Join us
Membership Login
Join Us
Members Login
Let us know how we can help you
Drop your contact details into the form, and
we’ll reach out to you!
--
or call us: 0121 828 8211
0121 828 8211
Useful Links
Dashboard
Membership
Quality Marks
Association for Character Education Ltd.
Registered Charity Number: 1178166.
© 2025–2026 Association for Character Education.
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Attend
ACE Conference 2026 – Reading (Southern Conference)
We’re excited to announce our upcoming event, which will bring together schools and organisations from across the Northern part of
100 Longwater Avenue Green Park Reading Berkshire RG2 6GP
July 8, 2026
Attend
ACE Conference 2026 – Leeds (Northern Conference)
We’re excited to announce our upcoming event, which will bring together schools and organisations from across the Southern part of
Quebec St, Leeds LS1 2HA
June 24, 2026