As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, our current Learning Strength is Empathy. Developing children’s empathy is an important part of helping them grow into kind, confident and socially aware young people. Research shows that empathy is not fixed – only a small part of it is genetic – which means every child can strengthen this skill throughout their lives. 

In our Monday assembly, I talked to the boys about how as a child I loved books with maps such as Swallows and Amazons, the Narnia books and The Hobbit. However, my earliest memory of a book with a map was Winnie the Pooh and we reflected on how the characters in the A.A Milne stories are so different, with their own strengths and weaknesses, and how the characters learn to be empathetic with each other. 

Stories that we read as children play a powerful role in the development of empathy. When children read or listen to stories, their brains respond as though they are experiencing the events themselves. This helps them understand other people’s feelings, viewpoints and experiences in a safe and engaging way. Books allow children to explore emotions, recognise perspectives different from their own and build the foundations of positive relationships. 

Reading is an ‘empathy superpower’ and I thought it would be helpful to summarise some of the ways that we as teachers, and you as parents, can support the development of empathy through reading. 

Choosing books that build empathy: In class, we select stories with rich, well‑developed characters and themes that help children understand emotions, explore different communities and consider real‑world issues such as loneliness, conflict or bereavement. These books support key empathy skills such as perspective‑taking, emotional vocabulary and active listening. Please encourage your son to speak to Mrs Evason in the Library or their English teacher for some ideas on good quality fiction that they will find enjoyable but will also support the development of empathy.  

Focusing on characters’ feelings: When reading together with children, your son’s teachers or teaching assistants will spend time discussing how characters might be feeling and why. This helps children reflect on their own emotions and understand others more deeply. Reading with your son is a very important way of developing their empathetic understanding. It should be an interactive experience for both you and your son. 

Also, look out for news on the Junior School Reading Challenge over the coming weeks! 

With best wishes, 

John Bond