Monthly Archives: January 2026

Creativity, Cultural Capital, Learning, Personal Development, Taskmaster, Taskmaster in School, Teaching, Teaching and Learning, Teamwork

What’s So Good About Taskmaster Club? SELF-ESTEEM

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Week 6 — Self-Esteem: Feeling Capable, Connected and Valued

Self-esteem – a young person’s sense of their own worth, capability and belonging – is foundational to wellbeing, motivation and engagement in learning. It helps pupils take on challenges, cope with setbacks, and grow with confidence. Importantly, feeling connected and valued in school supports pupils’ confidence and sense of worth, which in turn enhances learning, attendance and social engagement.

Taskmaster Club nurtures self-esteem in multiple, interconnected ways. It gives everyone the chance to succeed, values a wide range of skills, and builds a strong sense of community and purpose. Pupils feel recognised, included and capable, which matters deeply for how they see themselves both in school and beyond.

What Is Self-Esteem — and Why It Matters

Self-esteem can be thought of as the internal sense that “I can do things that matter” and “I belong here”. In education, strong self-esteem supports:

  • confidence in tackling new, unfamiliar tasks
  • resilience when facing setbacks
  • willingness to participate socially and academically
  • a positive sense of identity within a community

When pupils feel competent and valued, they are more likely to engage willingly with peers, try new strategies, and persevere through uncertainty – all essential for deep learning.

How Taskmaster Club Supports Self-Esteem

Taskmaster Club builds self-esteem because it naturally creates conditions known to support confidence, belonging and valued participation.

1. Multiple Routes to Success

The diversity of the tasks means there isn’t just one way to succeed. Some tasks reward creativity, others logic, others communication or performance. This broad terrain allows many pupils to experience mastery, which research links directly to greater self-worth.

Because everyone’s strengths can shine at different moments, pupils learn that their contributions matter.

2. Shared Achievement Builds Confidence

Unlike in the show, most Club tasks are collaborative. Pupils celebrate together – they laugh, they problem-solve, and they succeed as a team. Research on collaborative school activities shows that positive peer acknowledgement and shared success help pupils feel accepted and competent, reinforcing their self-esteem.

3. Positive Community & Belonging

Feeling “part of something” is vital. Studies show that pupils who feel connected to their peers and to school communities are happier, more confident and more resilient learners. Feeling valued by others — not just standing alone — boosts how pupils see themselves.

Taskmaster Club fosters exactly that kind of connection: team camaraderie, shared goals, mutual encouragement, and inclusive engagement.

4. Encouragement to Try, Fail and Improve

Self-esteem isn’t just about success – it’s also about learning to cope with failure. In Taskmaster Club, failure is temporary, social and often funny rather than punitive. Pupils learn that trying something outside their comfort zone is worth doing even if it doesn’t work first time.

This builds resilience – a core psychological ingredient of robust self-esteem.

5. Everyone is Seen and Heard

Whether a pupil contributes an idea, a practical skill, a creative suggestion, or a supportive comment, their voice matters. Feeling listened to and acknowledged by peers is strongly linked with a sense of acceptance and worth among young people.

Why This Matters in School and Life

Strong self-esteem helps pupils:

  • take on academic challenges with confidence
  • build positive relationships with peers
  • engage more deeply in school life
  • cope with transitions and setbacks
  • pursue personal goals with agency

In a time when many young people report low levels of belonging and decreasing life satisfaction, creating spaces where pupils feel valued and connected is more important than ever.

Practical Ways to Strengthen Self-Esteem Through Taskmaster Club

If you’re running a Taskmaster Club, here are ways to make self-esteem support more intentional:

  1. Celebrate Diverse Successes
    Highlight and value different kinds of contributions – creative, logical, collaborative, supportive – not just the “winning” outcome.
  2. Encourage Reflection on Strengths
    Ask pupils what they did well, what they tried that was bold, and what they learned about themselves.
  3. Rotate Roles and Responsibilities
    Give everyone a chance to lead, present, support and encourage – helping each pupil experience valued participation.
  4. Affirm Effort Over Perfection
    Reward perseverance, clever ideas, and collaborative effort, even when the task result isn’t perfect.

Final Thought

Self-esteem is not a static trait — it is a living outcome of positive experiences, meaningful connections and repeated opportunities to feel capable. Taskmaster Club delivers exactly that: a playful space where pupils succeed, learn from mistakes, feel accepted, are encouraged to contribute, and build confidence both in themselves and with others.

In doing so, Taskmaster Club helps young people develop not just skills — but a stronger sense of who they are, what they can do, and where they belong.

Children’s Mental Health Week

In 2023 we partnered with Place2Be for Children’s Mental Health Week and created some tasks to support the campaign. This YouTube playlist includes the tasks and a few other gems.

Taskmaster Club materials:

Further posts in the ‘What’s So Good About Taskmaster Club series: