The Nurture Base
The aim of the Nurture Base is to work with identified pupils to:
- Improve engagement and achievement in lessons and school as a whole.
- Improve self-esteem and develop a more positive attitude towards school and peers.
- Support learning and well-being.
- Improve specific areas of weakness identified in the Boxall profile.
- Improve relationships with others.
- Develop new skills.
A pupil will be referred to the base via the SEN referral process. The Boxall profile will be reviewed and the areas causing the most concern will be addressed. The pupil will be allocated a half an hour to an hour and a half session each week. Pupils will work in small groups of 2 or 3 agreed with SEN staff. Pupils’ progress and achievements in the base will be monitored once a term through their Boxall Profile.
The Nurture Base is Part of the Nurture Group Network and has achieved the quality Mark awarded by the Nurture Group Network.
A typical session in the base would consist of a group of 2 or 3 pupils beginning with a short warm up game, main session activity (focussing on a specific areas of concern) pupils and staff would then share a drink and snack together with pupils helping and tidying up. Pupils would then choose a range of games to share with staff such as Monopoly, Cluedo, Payday, Uno or Jenga.
Main session activities can be practical, creative or discussion based. We have sessions based around the Nurture Group Network ‘s publications “Nurturing Talk” and “Nurturing Social and Emotional Development”. Staff have undergone training to use Lego as a resource in sessions as either “Lego Therapy” or “Lego Build to Express”. We have developed our kitchen and resources to enable pupils to take part in more cooking based activities, and this includes trips to the supermarket to buy ingredients.
Over recent years, pupils have achieved AQA’s in game making and independent travel (successfully using public transport).
It is important to share our work with parents and carers by opening the base during parents’ evenings. This will give them the opportunity to look around, discuss pupil’s work and take part in some of the ‘Nurture base’ activities. Pupils and staff produce a termly newsletter to celebrate pupils’ achievements.
