KAPP (Kindness, Aspiration, Perseverance and Pride) at DHS means going beyond your best; seeking out and embracing opportunities to aim high, dream big and dig deep. We believe that by encouraging all of our students to focus on these four key attributes we will create an even more connected, special and unique school culture in which everyone feels part of one amazing team.
Our aim with the KAPP reward programme is to ensure that we celebrate students that are living out these attributes’ day in day out, both inside and outside of school. By celebrating those that are we will also inspire those around them to seek to do the same, therefore creating a culture in which kindness, aspiration, perseverance and pride are central.
Throughout the year, through nominations from staff and parents/carers, students will be awarded badges for showing outstanding kindness, aspiration, perseverance and pride. Students will aim to get bronze, silver and gold badges for all attributes, at which point they will be awarded a seahorse pin badge – the ultimate accolade for KAPP. This structure means students always have something to aim for throughout their time at Durrington which ensures KAPP values are enbedded in school life.
This half term has seen the first of our reward badges being awarded for kindness. Tutors were asked to nominate one member of their form group for showing outstanding kindness over the half term to peers. The nominations came in thick and fast and showed what positive, encouraging relationships we have across the school with our tutors and tutees. Nominations included reasons such as ‘always making an effort to include everyone’, ‘showing respect’ and ‘constant positivity.’ It has been fantastic to see so many happy students receive these badges and wear them with pride.
Parents have also risen admirably to the task of letting us know about their child’s achievements outside of school so we can recognise them. These achievements include raising money for charity, representing their county in a sporting capacity and regularly volunteering. At the beginning of next half term, we will be awarding these students the first badges for pride and aspiration. Our students never fail to impress us with their achievements and their commitment to displaying the values and qualities of KAPP. Every nominee received recognition by way of a well-done postcard if they were not awarded a badge on this occasion.
Outside of the reward system, KAPP continues to underpin our assemblies and tutor periods, allowing students opportunities to work towards achieving their badges, with tutors commenting on the mature, excellent quality of discussions. We have also embraced opportunities to get involved with charity events, such as Race for Life and look forward to the perseverance awards which begin after half term.
KAPP is central to life as part of Team Durrington and we can’t wait to see the impact it makes as we continue through the year and beyond!
