Better Buddies in Schools

Our Year 6 students work with our Reception students in the Better Buddies Programme.

Better Buddies is a framework to introduce or enhance a buddy system in a school. Buddy systems are designed to support children in their first year of schooling through working with older students, who act as role models.

The Better Buddies Framework has specifically designed buddy activities. These focus on curriculum, social skills, values and benefits for the younger and older buddies alike.

Schools use a variety of programs and resources, and Better Buddies has been designed to complement these. Other programs such as Friendly Schools and Families and Bounce Back suggest schools develop strong peer relationships and buddy systems, which Better Buddies achieves.

Better Buddies fits into our school environment and is flexible to incorporate all that we do with buddies in our school.

The flexibility of this system has led to schools in Dubai, Singapore and Northern Ireland implementing Better Buddies with The Mary Foundation. Red Barnett in Denmark has adapted the Better Buddies philosophy to build Free of Bullying, their own program  for their Kindergartens and Primary Schools.