Bowmandale Buddies
Who Are the Buddies?
The Bowmandale Buddies are specially trained Year 5 and Year 6 pupils who act as good role models and mentors on the playground, offering support and guidance to all Bowmandale pupils.
The buddies are there to give children someone to talk to, to suggest safe games for the children and they have also been trained how to initiate play for those children who find it difficult to join in with games.
Their main aim is to remind all pupils of the importance of thinking and acting safely and responsibly.
“I like that we have extra responsibilities in Year 6 – we get to be sports leaders, buddies, reading and maths ambassadors.” Joey
Buddy Motto
This is the place where teamwork is key,
Working together for you and for me,
Keeping you safe, that’s our job,
Come and find us if you need help,
Your Buddies!
Our Buddy Message
Our buddy message is 'Sharing is caring'.
Buddy Assemblies
The buddies regularly lead assemblies to share their advice about the importance of playing safely on the playground and how to do this. The buddies' main aim in our most recent buddy assembly was to explore with the children what they understand by the phrase 'safe play' and how they could play safely on the playground, the field and when using play equipment. The buddies discussed some examples of safe and unsafe games and they asked the children to come up with their own suggestions for safe games they could play.
Our next buddy assembly planned for the autumn term will explore 'What do we do with our worries?' This assembly will help children to understand what strategies they can use to help when they are worried.
Buddy Bench
The school is very fortunate to have a Buddy Bench, which was very kindly donated by our local Spar Shop. Painted in our team colours, the bench is a place where the children know they can go to if they need support from the buddy team. All children are made aware of how to use the Buddy Bench and its purpose during buddy assemblies. We aim to equip all children with the skills to pro-actively access support when they need it.
Buddy Training
Buddy training takes place every year for new buddies and is covered in two parts, focusing on the buddy role and how this is used to help others. The buddy training provides Year 5 and Year 6 children with the foundation skills needed to support and help others.
Following on from this, the buddies have half-termly meetings to continue with training but also to provide opportunities for buddies to share ideas and discuss anything they might feel unsure about.
Buddy Team Top Tips
- If you don't have anyone to play with, go to the buddy bench. A buddy will come and help!
- If you have a problem with friends which you can’t sort it out, find a buddy who will help you.
- Think safely, act safely.
- Encourage others to play safe games.
- Respect others' feelings.
- Always show kindness and understanding to each other.
- Remember - sharing is caring!
- Try to include others if you see them on their own.
- If you have a worry and don’t know what to do, ask a buddy for some help.
- Remember - a problem shared is a problem halved; buddies are there to listen!