At Manor Hill we are proud to offer Nurture Groups to all pupils that require it. We work with parents to identify pupils who may benefit and they join a small group in our Hill Heroes group once per week. See below for more information about the nurture philosophy.

What is the purpose of Nurture Group & its Philosophy?

Nurture Group is a small class of pupils (6-8). Its composition is carefully well thought-out to create a balanced and functional group. The Nurture Group is part of the school’s Inclusion and PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) provision. Its purpose is to offer children opportunities to re-visit early learning skills, promote, and support their social and emotional development. There is much research evidence that children’s learning is most effective when they have a sense of emotional wellbeing, good self-esteem and a feeling of belonging to their school community. The Nurture Room provides children with this opportunity and so helps to develop their maturity and resilience. The Nurture Room is a place of learning.

The philosophy of the Nurture Room is drawn from the principles established by the work of Marjorie Boxall and others, and exemplified by ‘The Nurture Group Network’ (www.nurturegroups.org).

The Nurture 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 an adult/child ration of 1:3, and provides lots of opportunities for speaking and listening activities
• Builds a child’s self-esteem and confidence
• Builds skills for classroom learning
• Has daily crafts, games, a ‘mini-tea’ and more!
• Language is a vital means of communication

Which children attend Nurture Group?

Children may attend sessions in the Nurture Group for specific reasons, for example:

• Friendship difficulties – keeping/making friends
• Quiet, shy, withdrawn
• Find it hard to listen to others or join in
• Disruptive towards others
• Find it hard to accept losing a game
• Find it hard to share and take turns
• Find it a bit difficult to settle into class
• Bullying
• Low self esteem
• Poor relationships with adults in school
• Bereavement
• Family illness or break-up

How will Nurture Group help my child?

Nurture Group will boost confidence and self-esteem and provide children with the extra help sometimes needed to improve social skills and independence for example:

-To join in

-To settle

-To listen

-To concentrate

-To share and take turns

-To accept losing a game

-To build up friendships with their classmates

 

A session in  the Nurture Group

Children follow a structure, routine that is clear to both staff and children, which includes group listening, and speaking, work tasks, individual and shared play and social skills. The group runs on consistency, positive reinforcement and praise.

A typical afternoon session in the Nurture Room would revolve around a theme for the session. All pupils would understand what they were going to learn and improve on during that session. Children have the opportunity to share good news, explore thoughts and feelings and work collaboratively on a practical task. Children work with new peers regularly, encouraging cooperation and confidence. Within the sessions, opportunities are tailored to the needs of the particular group and age range.