As a school we like to celebrate the successes of our pupils and one of these celebrations is when they show great friendship to those around them.

On the last day of each term we are always very proud to give out our special Friendship Award. This award goes to a child based on the nomination either from a classmate, teacher or member of public.  Recipient of the reward is recognised for many different reasons – mainly kindness to the others.

Joey - Resilience Award - July 2021

A huge congratulations to Joey for receiving the Resilience Award for his perseverance and his ability to keep a positive attitude during challenging times. See a copy of his nomination letter below!

Archer - July 2021

Well done Archer for being awarded the Friendship Award for never giving up on his friends and being a great encouragement to them. See a copy of his nomination letter below!

Indhra - March 2021

Big congratulations to Indhra who received his Friendship Award this term for being an outstanding member of the Tigers bubble. He is always looking after his friends and adapting to everyone's needs. 

Well done!

Khadija - December 2020

Khadija was given her Friendship Award for the lovely way she helps her talk partners and her general kindness and loveliness. 

Florence - December 2020

We have a very special girl in our school. She received her Friendship Award for being gentle, empathetic and compassionate and for "sparkling with kindness" in the classroom, in the playground and at Spirals. 

We are very lucky to have you Florence!

Juliette - Spring 2020

Dear Mrs Longhurst,

A while ago, I realised I had a secret agent in my classroom. It was the end of the day and Alex Jakeways wasn’t going home. He was busying himself about the classroom looking for his stuff, tidying things, restacking chairs and avoiding leaving school. It wasn’t until a certain someone left the classroom to go to spirals, which might I add she takes a long time doing because she likes to chat and say good bye to EVEYRONE first. Once she had left, Alex handed me this letter. He asked me to help him and give it to Mrs Longhurst, in secret. I felt like a spy!

I couldn’t agree more with Alex’s suggestion for Juliette to get the friendship award. Juliette has a large group of friends but works and plays with everyone. I don’t think I have ever put her in a group, or sat her next to someone, and then not had someone come up and tell me how much she is helping them and how much they are enjoying sitting next to her. She has the gift of making people feel special. She goes out of her way to make people happy and I truly believe the phrase ‘she couldn’t hurt a fly’ has never suited someone more.

I am also incredibly proud to be the teacher to a class of children who are so kind and caring to each other. It is no surprise to me that Muhtasim won it last term, now Juliette this term and that both times they were nominated by a Hawk who wasn’t their best friend, but was someone who just noticed that they were being extraordinary.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Jones

Muhtasim - December 2019

We have a very special boy at our school who has been awarded this term Friendship Award based on this letter written by Miss Jones.

Dear Mrs. Longhurst,

"This term I believe the Friendship Award should go to someone in the Hawks class. When you first asked all the teachers who we should give it to, this persons name popped straight into my head and I was shocked to find out he had not received it already. This boy is a friend to every person he meets and goes out of his way to make sure that everyone is happy, learning and laughing. 

Last week I set the class some very tricky maths. As I was going round helping everyone, I noticed that he had gone through every single question with another child in my class just to make sure they could succeed. 

When ever we do group work, he takes charge and asks every person in the group questions and gives them a warm smile to make sure they are involved, learning and happy. He also isn't afraid to tell his class the hard truth. He helps them to make good choices. He is listened to respected because of this. He is liked by everyone in the class and is a friend to every single Hawk and enyone who has the good fortune to meet him. I am very proud to have Muhtasim in my class. That is why I think he should receive the Friendship Award". 

Miss Jones

Tara - July 2019

Dear Mrs Longhurst,

My name is Betty and I live at Grace Muriel House. I met some of your children when I came to your community gardening day and one of the children really stood out for me. For this reason I would like to nominate them for the Mandeville Friendship Award.

I was a teacher a long time ago so I really enjoyed my morning with the children at school. When I met Tara, she introduced herself and asked my name. She was so kind and helpful; she helped me plant two hanging baskets, picking from the beautiful flowers. Meeting Tara has been the highlight of my year, I'm going to be 90 this month and she made my day, I don't want to do anything else for my birthday as this was such a special day, my best by far. Tara said if I come back to school we can meet and be friends I would very much like to be Tara’s friend, and I am so happy she is getting a friendship award. She is a special little girl.

Yours sincerely,

Betty.

Sidra&Lior - April 2019

Dear Mrs. Longhurst,

I would like to nominate Lior and Sidra for the friendship award.

Throughout the year I have seen many occasions where both girls have shown concern and thoughtfulness to others. On one occasion the girls stopped their own playtime to go and comfort a girl who had been upset by the nastiness of others. Not only did they listen to the girls point of view, but they also got her back to a positive mindset so that she could go back to learning after break.

I have had the pleasure of seeing Sidra and Lior grow and mature throughout the year. They are both wonderful examples of a Mandeville students.

Miss Ellingham

Lexie - December 2018

Lexie is very kind and caring member of the Ladybirds class who is everyone's friend. Lexi is quick to notice if someone is hurt, upset or all alone and always offers to look after them or play with them. She went out of her way to make the new members of our school feel welcome in September by offering to show them around and including them in her games.

Lexie also takes a much pride in her friends' successes as she does her own and will often point out someone else's new learning to the adults in the class so that everyone can celebrate. Well done Lexie!

Katelyn - April 2017

Well done Katelyn who was awarded this term Friendship Award for demonstrating her kind and caring nature to those both in her class and around the school. Katelyn was nominated by two of her class mates, Emily and Olivia along with her class teacher Miss Lawrence. Katelyn described as being an outstanding member of the Mandeville Community who is kind and respectful. She was said to be a good friend to everyone and knows when you need cheering up and looking after. She recognises when people are upset and she will be first one over to to look after them. Well done Katelyn on receiving this award!

Jack - December 2016

Dear Mrs Longhurst,

We are writing to you today because we would like to nominate a child in Yr3 for a one of your very special friendship awards. Over the course of this term, we have noticed this child display kindness and friendship towards two other children in year 3, who sometimes find their time in school really tricky.

These children can find learning hard and it can be difficult for them to join in with friends with confidence, and he always finds a way to engage them in the activity or game. Not only does this person notice when these children may need some support in class, he shows obvious pride when either of them are praised, and is always the first person to clap and congratulate them with genuine happiness.

This person doesn’t always find school easy themselves, and can sometimes find it hard to make the right choices. However, through their thoughtful and kind manner they have shown themselves to be a caring and considerate person, who can empathise with others’ feelings and help them to change their emotions from negative to positive.  In doing so, the teachers have noticed this child is growing in confidence, which shows in their work.

The adults in his class would like to say thank you and well done for considering others and putting their need above yours. Jack, what a wonderful example of a good friend you are. You should feel very proud of yourself and we are proud to have you in our school.

From the Swallows adults

Olivia - July 2016

Dear Mrs Longhurst,

I would like to nominate Olivia  for the friendship award.

Olivia is an incredibly kind, caring, and, above all, helpful girl. I have seen her more than once being extremely caring towards younger children in the playground, trying to help them on the climbing frame or the slide, trying to teach them new things, always letting us know if one of them is hurt, upset or needs our assistance. I am sure her buddy Maram would agree with me, she is a brilliant buddy!

Furthermore, Olivia has inadvertently been helpful to her peers by being helpful to the Mandeville staff.  Olivia’s mum works in the office and that means that Olivia gets to school very early in the morning and leaves later than most children. Instead of reading a book or playing on the computer, Olivia is always eager to help the members of staff in any way she can. She has helped me to set up the classroom and I have seen her many times photocopying, laminating, carrying resources and doing many other jobs.  As a member of staff I want to say thank you.

Olivia has shown me that for her Mandeville is not just a school but a community, a family, where we all care and help each other.  I think we can all learn something from her,

Thank you

Miss Castillo