Nurture
At St. Gregory's, we currently have many opportunities for Nurture, including a Nurture group and a selection of Early Nurture sessions led by our Senior Leaders and Learning Mentors. In addition, we pride ourselves on having Nurture Friendly Classrooms and a selection of Nurture Champions across the school who have become a spokesperson for their peers.
We believe that children who access Nurture groups or who are exposed to Nurture friendly classrooms and resources, will develop confidence, become more responsive to others, learn self-respect and take pride in behaving well and achieving.
In line with Nurture UK, we follow and understand the six principles of Nurture:
- Children's learning is understood developmentally.
- The classroom offers a safe base.
- The importance of nurture for the development of well being.
- Language is a vital means of communication.
- All behaviour is communication.
- The importance of transition in children's lives.
As chosen by our Nurture Champions and our students, the St. Gregory's Nurture group has been named The Buddy Base.
The Buddy Base provides a safe and calm environment for our Nurture group to meet and develop their own mental health and wellbeing. We work closely with the Class Teachers to ensure the curriculum is continued within the Nurture group sessions, entwined with PSHE sessions, outdoor learning, budgeting and money management, snack time and working collaboratively with their peers.
Nurture group sessions take place 2-3 times a week dependent upon the individual needs of the children within the Nurture group. These are aimed at 8-10 children who require additional support and guidance with their mental health and wellbeing.
Early Nurture group sessions take place once a week during a Monday lunchtime and are aimed at different groups of vulnerable children from EYFS to Y6.
An example of our Nurture Friendly Classrooms and the emphasis that we place on the children's feelings and wellbeing.
Our Nurture group in action...
The children have helped to develop and maintain our Remembrance Garden in addition to preparing and painting our rainbow ladders for the front of the school.
Our Buddy Base. We have a mirror for the children to say positive affirmations about themselves and a vocabulary tree associated with our Nurture group and the kind of people we want to be.
Pupil Voice
"Nurture is a happy place. It helps us to be kind and treat each other with respect"
"It makes you feel more confident"
"Nurture is AMAZING!"
"We can make new friends, we become more respectful and we get to make lots of different things"
"We love having snacks with Mrs Lewis, Mrs Dunn and Mr Baylay"
"We have learnt to be more confident and have more respect for each other"
The wall art was chosen by our pupils and reflects the calm and peaceful environment that we wish to create for our children. Our Buddy Base is used for many different groups and interventions in addition to our Nurture activities.
