Nurture group
Our school Nurture Group takes place in The Studio. Nurture Groups were originally set up in April 2019 at Heage Primary School with the support of the Derbyshire County Council Nurture Team, who continue to support the school and train staff.
The nurture room is designed to be a bridge between home and school; a place where children can feel safe and secure and therefore develop their individual needs further. The room has a table to share snacks and play games together and a seating area for stories and working collaboratively.
What is the purpose of the Nurture Group and its philosophy?
Nurture Groups are a small class of children (around 6-8). The composition of the group is carefully thought-out to create a balanced and functional group. The Nurture Group is part of the school's PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) provision and promotes school inclusion. Its purpose is to offer children opportunites to re-visit early learning skills, promote and support social and emotional learning and allow children to build relationships with supportive key adults in school in an environment outside of the classroom.
There is much evidence to suggest that children's learning is most effective when they have a sense of emotional well being, good self-esteem and a feeling of belonging to their school community. The Nurture Group provides children with this opportunity and so helps to develop their maturity and resilience. The nurture room is a place of learning.
There is much evidence to show that children have greater success in their usual class lessons after they have had 12 weeks in the Nurture Group.
Why might children attend?
Children may benefit from the Nurture Group for a very wide set of reasons, but the most common are:
Friendship difficulties;
Quiet, shy;
Finding it hard to listen to others or to join in (or shouting out in class);
Being disruptive to others;
Finding it hard to lose a game;
Finding it hard to take turns;
Finding it hard to settle in;
Finding transition difficult;
Bullying;
Low self esteem;
Needing to develop relationships with adults in school;
Bereavement;
Illness.
The Nuture Group Principles
Children's learning is understood developmentally
The classroom offers a safe base
All behaviour is communication
The importance of transition in children's lives
Has a high adult to child ratio to provide lots of opportunities for speaking and listening activities
Builds a child's self esteem
Builds skills for classroom learning
Has daily crafts, games and a 'mini-tea'
Langauge is a vital form of communication
Is a short focused intervention of around 12 weeks
Before attending the group
Staff at school will highlight to the Nurture Team children who may benefit from the programme.
Staff will complete a Boxall Profile to determine what targets the children will work on in the group.
Parents will recieve a letter and be requested to sign a permission slip. (Parents are also invited to meet with school staff to discuss the provision and child's targets.)
Useful links:
The Nurture Group Network
www.nurturegroups.org
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
National website for CAMHS
www.camhs.org.uk
My Family Care
Allows parents to search for and book local holiday clubs and camps online
outofschoolcare.co.uk
National Children's Bureau
Promotes the interests and well-being of all children
www.ncb.org.uk
Parentline Plus
National charity working with parents. Has a free confidential helpline
parentlineplus.org.uk
Young Minds
The children's mental health charity
www.youngminds.org.uk
Links to art & craft ideas
Crafts for Kids - Easy Kids Crafts - Arts and Craft Ideas ...spoonful.com/crafts
Crafts for Kids - EnchantedLearning.com www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/