Coatesville Primary School

Buddy Program

The Prep Buddy Program aims to provide Prep children with a "friend" from a senior Grade for the year. Experience has shown that the older child gains as much benefit from the program as the Prep child.

Buddy Program for Preps helps them to:

• Feel safe
• To become familiar with the school playground
• Establish friendships
• Build confidence
• Get along with others
• Share their experiences
• Have fun

Buddy Program for senior Grade children helps them to:

• Build their confidence
• Care for others
• Develop their leadership skills
• Foster their self-esteem
• Utilise their skills and talents
• Feel a sense of personal achievement
• Share their experiences
• Have fun

The Prep teachers and Grade 6 teachers liaise with each other to match pairs of children in December. Children are usually put with another child of the gender, but not always. Preps meet their buddies in December at the final Prep Orientation Day. They have a BBQ lunch together and usually the senior Grade child brings a small gift for their buddy on that day.

During the year the "buddies" share activities such as, picnic lunches, reading together, planting trees, presenting plays, sharing work.

The Class Buddy Program

Each Grade is paired with another Grade at the commencement of each year.  The aim is similar to the Prep Buddy Program, however, there is a stronger focus on shared learning opportunities such as Reading, Unit of Inquiry, Sport, Mathematics, Science and so forth.