What is the Buddy System Like in the Primary School?
In Primary, buddies help new children settle in during their first week or until they have built their own friendships. They will show them around, support them with translations, play with them at breaktimes, sit near them in the classroom and show them what to do at lunch. They are generally there to be a friendly face and someone to help.
How are buddies selected?
Buddies are selected on gender, nationality and those that are generally helpful and responsible. We try to match up children who have similar interests or, when we meet the new student at the interview, think about who would be a good match with them. Sometimes, it is more than one person that will be a buddy as there may be a group of friends who would like to take on this important role and support children with their transition into a new school.