Our Skills for Life programmes
We produce programmes for schools that teach children skills for life: how to cope with everyday difficulties, how to communicate with and get on with other people, and build self-awareness and emotional resilience. Our programmes are suitable for all children, and are evidence-based. They are widely used both in the UK and in over 30 countries around the world.
Zippy’s Friends
Zippy’s Friends is story based and has 24 sessions of 45 minutes. The programme is suitable for children of all abilities. Children develop their own positive strategies to deal with problems through engaging activities: listening to stories, discussion, games, role-play and drawing.
Other programmes give children life-jackets; Zippy’s Friends teaches them how to swim.
Teacher
Apple’s Friends
Apple’s Friends is based around a series of stories and the programme has 24 sessions of 45 minutes. The programme is suitable for children of all abilities. Children develop their own positive strategies to deal with problems through engaging activities: listening to stories, discussion, games, role-play and drawing.
My personal THANKS for Apple Friend’s. I am a 55 year old teacher and this program has even taught me to find different ways out of difficult situations.
Teacher
Passport
Passport is based on the same theory as Zippy’s Friends and Apple’s Friends but looks quite different. Engaging comic strip stories follow the adventures of Olya and Milo as they discover a secret world of fantastical creatures in the company of their friend, Elly the dragon.
Conflicts in the playground are fewer. They form friendships much easier and we have had lots of positive feedback from parents.
UK Teacher
SPARK Resilience
SPARK Resilience draws on mindfulness, positive psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy to give children skills to boost their strengths, control strong emotions and reframe habitual ways of thinking. Evaluation of the programme found it boosted resilience and helped prevent depression.
SPARK Resilience gives us a framework within which to talk about resilience – helping them to see resilience is actually very important for social situations they face everyday.
UK Teacher
Zippy's Friends for Pupils with SEND
Zippy’s Friends for Pupils with SEND was developed in collaboration with special schools with support from the National Association of Independent Schools and Non-Maintained Special Schools. The adapted activities help pupils with SEND to increase their coping and social skills.
I would thoroughly recommend all aspects of this programme to other SEND settings. If you are looking for a programme which is fun, easy to deliver and which positively impacts students’ social and emotional mental health, look no further than Zippy’s Friends.
Curriculum Improvement Lead, Evergreen School Warwick
Watch our information video and learn more about the Skills for Life programmes
Skills for Life programme costs
Online training
All teaching staff must attend live online training with Partnership for Children
- Live online training UK costs
- Live online training international schools costs
- Book your place on the training now
- Email Liz at liz.bowles@partnershipforchildren.org.uk and let us know you would like to join the waiting list for a future course
Online Teaching Platform subscription
You can teach the Skills for Life programmes directly from the Online Teaching Platform. You will need to complete the online training before accessing the resources.
Printed teaching resources
UK schools can order printed resources to teach the Skills for Life programmes. You will need to have completed the online training and have an active subscription before ordering these resources.
Yearly Subscription Includes:
Full access to online teaching platform
Access to ongoing support and programme updates
