SENIT - A Quick
strength- to establish buddies.
Guide to Buddy
Systems
What is a buddy system?
A buddy system involves older children
looking after and caring for smaller,
vulnerable children who are just
starting school. They help play an
important role in creating safe and
nurturing school environments by:
 Strengthening the whole school
community and helping to challenge
stereotypes.
 Contributing to a positive and caring
school culture.
 Providing opportunities for peer
tutoring.
 Contributing to positive behaviour by
providing positive role models.
 Developing pro-social values and
skills.
 Developing responsibility.
 Building self confidence in all
participants.
 Developing empathy.
 Promoting inclusion.
 Discouraging bullying.
How to help
1. Match more confident children
with those that need more
support.
2. Assign a buddy to all students in
your class may reduce attention
and stress on those children with
increased needs.
3. Make the buddy relationship
reciprocal. Both buddies should
support one another even if it’s in
different areas.
4. Use relationship building
activities - especially those that
are “neutral” i.e., unlikely to
need academic / sporting
5. Provide clear directions regarding
what support the buddies are
providing.
6. Model respectful relationships,
including language of support.
7. Carefully observe and record the
success and challenges of the
buddy system. Adjust the
system as needed.
8. Improve the buddy system by
reassigning buddies, clarifying
tasks, or providing the buddies
with clearer expectations.
9. Reinforce good responses from
all participants for modelling how
to be a good buddy.
10. Use social recognition or other
classroom-based rewards to
acknowledge aspects of good
practice.
11. Sensitively rotate buddies at
points in the year so children
have opportunities to develop
further friendships.
Further advice and
support
Special Education Needs Inclusion
Team (SENIT) – consultation and
support - referral via SENCO to
senitrequests@leeds.gov.uk