Empathy Lab

We have worked with EmpathyLab as part of their 18 month programme Since 2020 and have been proud to join them in their Alumni Programme since 2022. Have a look at the videos below to see what empathy is and how we have incorporated it into our curriculum in PDCS. 

EmpathyLab is the first organisation to help build children's empathy, literacy and social activism  through the use of amazing, empathy-rich literature. The goal is to 'Read stories. Build empathy. Make a better world'.

Our work with EmpathyLab is helping our pupils develop the skills they need to thrive in an ever more complex world. Through reading, they can make connections with other people around the world and learn about their different experiences and perspectives. They can help develop empathy skills that will help them act in a way that makes a better, more inclusive, kind and tolerant place for everyone.

Empathy has been described as a human superpower. It’s our ability to understand and share someone else’s feelings. Empathy is made up of three main elements: feeling, thinking and acting.

Empathy is an essential life skill for all of us.

We’re not born with a fixed quantity of empathy – it’s a skill we can all learn. Excitingly, research shows that books are a powerful tool to develop it. When young people identify with book characters, they learn to see things from others’ points of view. As they read, they are building their empathy skills.

Empathy in action - Kwame Alexander and Pembrokeshire cluster schools featuring Yr6 PDCS

'How to change the world through Empathy' Smiley talk with Miranda McKearney from Empathy Lab and PDCS empathy lead Kate Clarke

What is empathy?

Communication skills - empathetic listening

Kate Clarke - Advocacy work 

Kate Clarke, Health and Well-being and empathy lead at PDCS regularly presents for EmpathyLab and trains staff in schools nationally for EmpathyLab. This video shows the work we have done as a school linked to empathy texts, including social action and author visits. This video was presented to schools as part of EmpathyLab training in 2024.

Building our curriculum with our cluster

We began our work with EmpathyLab to promote resilience and tolerance in our pupils and also in the community as a cluster. Have a look at how we developed our curriculum as a cluster.

A whole school approach to developing our curriculum at PDCS

A whole school approach to curriculum development at Pembroke Dock Community School: Leaders, teachers, governor, parents and pupils share our story.