Positive feedback on Zippy's Friends in England

Three Local Education Authorities in England have just completed pilots of Zippy's Friends, and all have confirmed that they will expand the programme to more classes from September.

The response has been very positive. Most significantly, government school inspectors commented that Zippy's Friends 'is effective in providing pupils with a weekly opportunity to explore their own emotions and how they relate to others.'

Here is a selection of other comments and feedback from teachers, parents, children and an evaluator, in County Durham, Southampton and Spelthorne (Surrey).

An evaluation study carried out in County Durham found that, after only 12 weeks, 'children's coping abilities, emotional vocabulary, behaviours and self perceptions were all positively influenced by the programme, when comparing to a control group of children matched for age, gender and ability.'

Teachers in Southampton said:
  • 'Children are able to resolve problems more quickly because they have the vocabulary to talk about problems'
  • 'I have been able to read and tell stories with an emotional content … and be more open about my own feelings'
  • 'Children find it much easier to talk about feelings, and often refer back to Zippy lessons when talking about conflict'
  • 'One family now has 'Zippy time' after the evening meal when all family members express how they feel - even the father is starting to join in!' (Teacher, Southampton)
  • 'I really liked the Zippy sessions. I liked the teacher reading us the Zippy stories. I liked colouring in the sheet. I always coloured in the sunshine and the smiley face.' (Year 1 pupil, County Durham)
Zippy's Friends includes a visit to a graveyard. After the visit, bereaved children in all three pilot areas started to talk for the first time about family members who had died. Four out of five teachers in Durham thought that Zippy's Friends had increased their children's understanding of death and loss 'a great deal.'

Teachers in County Durham said:
  • 'The children are always enthusiastic about the lessons'
  • 'Zippy's Friends has been the highlight of their year, I'd say'
  • 'It's important that there's a space [in the curriculum] dedicated to these issues'
'This has been a very useful addition to the PSHE curriculum and will have a gentle and subtle longer-term effect, I feel. It is a super way of opening up and helping little ones to deal with difficult social situations.' (Parent, Spelthorne)

Children in one Year 2 class asked if they could use their 'Zippy' pencils to do their Standard Assessment Tests because they thought they might help them to do better!

Teachers in Spelthorne said:
  • 'I have noticed an improvement in the children's behaviour and the way they talk about feelings'
  • 'Children have said they feel more confident about coping with bullying problems'
  • 'Lunchtime staff have reported that there have been fewer quarrels at lunchtime!'
'The Zippy's Friends programme is effective in providing pupils with a weekly opportunity to explore their own emotions and how they relate to others.' (Office for Standards in Education - OFSTED - inspection report, Weston Park Infant School, Southampton)

 Parents in Spelthorne commented:
  • '[My son] has really got a lot of fun and learning out of it'
  • '[My son] is much more tolerant and thoughtful of others'
'The best thing I like is when we follow Zippy rules and share things together. When we learn about our feelings it is good. We talk about it. We draw pictures and fill in a chart. We have learned about jealousy, being nervous and worried and it's okay to feel like this. The best bit is when we are all sitting nicely and listening to each other.' (Year 1 pupil, County Durham)

In addition to expanding to new schools in County Durham, Southampton and Spelthorne from September, Zippy's Friends will be launched in Dudley in the West Midlands. A number of other Local Education Authorities in England and Wales have expressed interest in starting classes soon.

The self-portraits that illustrate this report were all drawn by children taking part in Zippy's Friends in English schools.