The Importance of Building Strong Friendships
Friendships are more than just fun—they’re essential to a child’s wellbeing. They help give meaning to our lives, fulfil the need to belong and provide support during tough times. For children, learning how to be a good friend is a key part of growing socially and emotionally.
Research shows that the better the quality of our relationships, the more likely we are to be happy. Professor Donna Cross highlights that positive peer relationships are one of the strongest predictors of mental health and academic success in children so it is no wonder that we are investing time in teaching friendship skills across the Junior School. We have been using a program called Friendology from URSTRONG to guide our lessons and the terminology we use when talking to students about healthy friendships and how to navigate problems as they arise. There is also a very close link with the Friendology program and our embedded restorative approach to teaching.
Good friends are those who offer support, loyalty, and laughter. They’re the ones who listen, accept us as we are and make life brighter. And just as importantly—being a good friend often leads to having good friends in return.
If you would like to explore more about the importance of friendships from leading experts in the field, use the link below to School.TV. The College provides this resource for our parents. There is a wealth of information on a huge range of relevant issues and topics.
God bless,
Mr Luke Przydacz
Deputy Head of Junior School – Health and Wellbeing
