Almost all children seem to love a superhero – Supergirl, Superman, Catwoman, Spiderman, Batman, the formidable Wonder Woman. The idea that people have powers that enable them to fly, fight crime, protect the community and win against the super villain appears to strike a special chord in the young imagination.
Watching our Reception children come to school dressed as their favourite superhero highlighted for me the powerful and positive message these characters can give to children.
Superheroes provide fantasy play, invoke the idea of magic and help to expand a child’s self-esteem. Children of all ages become differently engaged when they are someone else for a while, especially a superhero with extraordinary abilities.
However the greatest thing about superheroes is they all share a strong common moral code – they do good.
We can use these characters to help to teach the children about good behaviour and being part of a community. Superman is a hero not because he can fly but because he uses his powers to help those in need, and is kind and generous to others.
Here at Westbourne House we also have a code, we call it the Westbourne Way and we ask the children to follow this wholeheartedly.
- Be gentle
- Be kind and helpful
- Listen to people
- Share
- Be honest and truthful
- Forgive others
- Work hard
- Be patient
- Look after property
We deliver assemblies (as do the children) to reinforce this code daily and regularly ask the children to adhere to the code.
In the Pre-Prep the children are aged between 2 and 7, some of the most important and influential years. And as we are not superheroes but humans, we make mistakes regularly. I am passionate about promoting children’s self-esteem and social skills, and nurturing their resilience in the face of the challenges that life often raises. My team and I aim to teach the children to behave considerately, being mindful of how their behaviour affects others.
As I am sure you are aware, children thrive when they have boundaries and when messages are clear and consistent. Playing at superheroes is fun, first and foremost, of course, but like much of what we try to do at Westbourne, I hope it also subtly serves to reinforce basic values and promote personal development.
Seeing your children every day I know that you all do so much already to raise them with the common values embodied in our modest “code”, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to remind you of the existence of the Westbourne Way. I hope that in working together we can give the children the same messages and help reinforce the common ethos of the school.