Page 17 - Handbook for House Staff

House Buddy System
Background:
• A good House buddy system should help new pupils to feel welcome, to settle in more easily and can provide support to new pupils with a range of pastoral issues e.g. homesickness and bullying. They can be called different things in different Houses e.g. ‘grannies’ or ‘big brothers’.
• A good House buddy system can positively influence the culture of a House to ensure that pupils are supporting each other and interacting positively between year groups.
• A perception amongst some pupils is that some House buddy systems work well for the first week or two but then fizzle out.
Actions:
• All new pupils should be assigned two buddies e.g. new FY pupils might be assigned a buddy in the Hundred and a buddy in the U6th.
• Buddies should contact new pupils before they arrive (e.g. postcard or email).
• A specific time should be set aside each week during the whole of the first term for pupils to see one of their buddies
• Buddies are given basic guidelines that will help them with their conversations e.g. examples of questions that they can ask.
• House staff can meet/talk occasionally with buddies and ask them if there are any problems of which they should be aware.
• Names of new pupils and their buddies should be posted on a House notice board
• There might be slight operational differences between Houses but the main underlying principles should be the same.
Further ideas
• Buddies can be given specific jobs to do e.g. U6th buddies could take their new pupils into Malvern one afternoon early in September.
• Buddies can be chosen on the basis of shared interests and backgrounds.
• If a pupil has a weaker buddy from one year group, they can be given a stronger buddy in another year group.
• Generations of buddies can be grouped together into ‘families’ or ‘pods’ in House. This can be used for intra-house competitions e.g. pool, table tennis
House Buddy Meeting – Possible Questions
1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you at school?
2. What could be done to make this number higher?
3. Tell me three things that have gone well for you this week?
4. Tell me two things that have not gone well this week?
5. Name two people who you are getting on with well?
6. Is there anybody who you are not getting along with?
7. What are your targets for the coming week?
8. Is there anything I can do to help you?
9. Is there anything about the school that you need to know?
10. What do you like to do in your spare time?
11. What CCAs are you going to do?
17