Darren Bowley, Deputy Head at Etone College, explains how SuperKind supports the school’s mission to develop compassionate, community-minded pupils through meaningful recognition and social action.
What drew you to use SuperKind?
As a school, our curriculum has been carefully designed to provide a truly holistic education for our pupils. Whilst academic achievement and attainment are undoubtedly important, our overarching goal is to ensure that every pupil grows into a dedicated, compassionate citizen who embodies the Etone Values in everything they do. This is something we feel is strongly reflected in SuperKind’s own principles and approach.
The programme offered us an invaluable tool to celebrate and record the personal and collective achievements of our pupils, while also encouraging them to think about how their actions make a positive difference in their community. Through SuperKind, we have been able to log individual and whole-school achievements, generate and share new ideas for social action, and demonstrate the reach and impact of our social action with the wider community.
How was SuperKind implemented at Etone College?
SuperKind was introduced as a natural extension of our existing community engagement initiatives. It complemented these programmes perfectly by providing a structured way to recognise and reward pupils for their dedication to community work, as well as raising the overall profile of these efforts both within the school and in the wider local area.
The range of activities undertaken by our pupils has been incredibly varied. Some have chosen to fundraise for different charities that hold personal significance to them, while others have volunteered their time for good causes or taken on Pupil Leadership roles to help drive positive change within the school. SuperKind has provided a unifying platform for all of these activities, helping to showcase the breadth of our students’ compassion and leadership.
What benefits have you seen to the students since starting your journey with SuperKind?
Since implementing SuperKind, we have seen a noticeable increase in pupil engagement and enthusiasm towards community projects. Pupils have responded very positively to being recognised through the award programmes, and earning badges has become a real source of motivation and pride.
The sense of accomplishment that comes with each award has encouraged pupils to stay involved in ongoing projects and to take on new challenges. In addition, the visibility of these achievements has inspired both pupils and staff to take an even more proactive approach to community involvement. As a result, several new initiatives have been generated directly from the momentum created by the programme. SuperKind has truly helped to foster a culture of kindness, initiative, and civic responsibility across our school community.