Nurture Group
Becket Primary School has a strong inclusive ethos as demonstrated by achievement of the Inclusion Quality Mark Award (2014-2017, 2017-2020 and 2023-2026) which recognized our practices and approach.
As part of our inclusive approach Becket Primary School has a Nurture Group Provision. The Nurture Group is an integral part of our school; nurture practices inform whole school and classroom practice just as whole school and classroom practice inform the Nurture Group. It encourages all children in the school to understand, accept and tolerate a wide range of needs.
Placement in the Nurture Group is time-limited to 1 term, meets twice a week for 2 hours and is discussed fully with the child’s parent/carer. Each Nurture cohort has a maximum of 3 or 4 children at any one time meaning these children benefit from a high staff-pupil ratio for a substantial part of their school week. The Lead Pastoral Support Practitioner, who is a trained Nurture practitioner, plans all Nurture activities and works with the children.
The role of the Nurture Group Practitioner is to develop the children’s classroom readiness skills and help them understand classroom expectations, so they are better able to listen to the teacher, ask questions, persist with an activity, settle to task, ask for help, develop positive peer friendships, relate to their teacher, remember from day to day, feel challenged and not over-whelmed by new learning and learn to cope with disappointment and changes in routine.
The Nurture Group is based in a classroom in school which has been designed and developed to create a homely atmosphere. The Nurture room is ‘zoned’ with a formal work area, a play area, a quiet area and a dining area.
Children’s cognitive, emotional and social learning is supported at whatever level of need the child shows by responding to them in a developmentally appropriate way. Play materials at pre-school level are available in addition to age-appropriate educational resources and equipment for more formal work in line with the National Curriculum statutory requirements. Language is a vital means of communication and it is understood that all behaviour is a communication so there is an emphasis on the development of language and communication skills. Children’s progress is monitored by carefully planned and targeted teaching and learning opportunities.
Children enjoy their time in a structured, predictable small group setting with lots of adult attention. They develop their classroom readiness skills and staff see improvements in confidence, self-esteem and the child’s ability to manage better their emotions.
