School assemblies are unique and important events in the lives of schools. They are an opportunity for a head teacher to shape and cele- brate the ethos and priorities of a school. However, the discussion of assemblies has stagnated because it is mired in the debate about legal compliance to the 1988 Education Reform Act and its interpretation in circular 1/94. This article reports on a research project which investigated the ethical ideas communicated in primary school assemblies. It is found that almost all assemblies sought to communicate a form of virtue ethics. We observed the promotion of courage, kindness, loyalty and responsibil- ity. Further, different virtues were emphasised in different schools depending on their social location. For example, perseverance and resil- ience were often stressed in a school from a low socio-economic area. The article concludes with an examination of the implications of our find- ings for the discussion of legal compliance to the 1988 Act.