In 2026, all students in the Junior School will participate in ‘What’s the Buzz?’ lessons as a part of the Health curriculum. ‘What's the Buzz?’, written by Mark LeMessurier and Madhavi Nawana Parker is a neuroaffirming, evidenced-based, social and emotional literacy program for Early Years and Primary Learners. It teaches students the skills and patterns to live generously within a community. It embraces that all human beings experience the social and emotional world differently and have the right to express their feelings and actions in their own, compassionate, way. Through our Health and Pastoral Care programmes, students will be involved in a series of ‘What’s the Buzz?’ lessons to explicitly teach social and emotional literacy, such as (but not limited to) joining into play, taking turns, co-operation, repairing friendships, working with feelings, honesty, empathy.
In their first lessons, students will learn how to offer a friendly greeting and how to respond to one – this is how friendship starts! Students will also learn that friends can be different to one another, and that is a good thing.
At St Dominic’s Priory College, we value the partnership between home and school – so we encourage families to prompt their children to use their learning from ‘What’s the Buzz?’ at home as well. How can you use friendly greetings at home? In the community? In your after-school activities? We can’t wait to see and hear ‘The Buzz’ in action!
We also strongly encourage all Junior School families to attend the ‘Raising Happy and Resilient Children’ session on Monday 9 February from 5:00pm - 5:45pm facilitated by the co-creator of ‘What’s the Buzz?’, Madhavi Nawana Parker.
