Three school leaders from Cardiff, Abergavenny and Salford recently presented to some of the UK’s top philanthropists, military representatives and journalists to talk about an innovative new programme being run at their schools.
Jon Murphy, Headteacher at Lllanfoist Fawr Primary School in Abergavenny, Zina Clark, Head of School at St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary School Cardiff, and Helen Watson, Head of Wharton Primary School near Salford, were asked to join individuals ranging from Colonels to Royal Correspondents at the Tower of London to discuss the Prince William Awards.
The schools are three of only 25 primary schools from across Great Britain piloting the education programme, backed by the Duke of Cambridge, which helps children and young people develop self-confidence, resilience and good character through workshops and activities delivered by predominantly ex-service personnel.
Ben Slade, Chief Executive of SkillForce, the charity behind the Prince William Awards, said: “We have incredibly impressed with the extent that the three primary schools support the academic and social needs of their pupils.
“That is why we invited these heads to meet our partners and other ambassadors to discuss her experiences of the Prince William Awards and the impact it is having in their schools.”
The mid-term evaluation data shows that the number of children on the programme who have strong socio-emotional development has increased fourfold, and the number of children whose behaviour is classed as “vulnerable” has dropped by more than half. Children have acquired key skills such as communication, problem solving, critical thinking and increased independence.
Jon Murphy added: “It is a tremendous honour to be at the forefront of a national scheme that someone of Prince William’s stature is supporting.
“Just because Lllanfoist Fawr is a smaller school, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have the ambition to do things differently and embrace new ideas.
Zina Clark added on behalf of the Governing Body of St Peter’s: “It was a great privilege to be invited to talk about our innovative pupils in a venue as iconic as the Tower of London. It demonstrates that our school is making a real impact on all learners as appropriate to their age, needs and ability.
“We pride ourselves on educating the whole child whilst ensuring that their wellbeing remains paramount. We share this philosophy with Skillforce which has been a powerful programme, supporting our school vision and core purpose.”
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About SkillForce
- SkillForce is a national education charity that specialises in character and resilience, and puts heroes in schools to transform lives, empowering children and young people to make positive choices. The charity’s dual mission includes supporting ex-Services personnel and their transition into civilian life.
- The charity delivers educational programmes that develop character, self confidence, resilience, teamwork and problem solving skills. Founded in 2000 and a registered charity since 2004, SkillForce has helped more than 60,000 children and young people. The Duke of Cambridge has been the charity’s Royal Patron since 2009.
