The Nest is a Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) provision located within Christ Church and St Peters Church of England Primary School in the north Leicestershire village of Mountsorrel.  This specialist provision opened at the end of August 2019 and supports the needs of up to 10 learners who have been identified as requiring a specialised education in order to meet their SEMH needs. 

The Nest Ethos

Our clear vision and ethos is based upon the foundations of;

Nurture: Supporting pupils to make relationships, learning about themselves and others whilst gaining skills for life

Educate: Delivering an individualised curriculum for the needs of each pupil in order for them to develop their talents and flourish through play and discovery

Safety: A secure environment allowing children to take risks, understand boundaries and to feel part of the Nest family

Trust: Working together with families and other agencies for the best outcomes of every individual

The Nest Aims

Our main aim at the Nest is to support the acquisition of the required skills to enable the children to access the next stage of their educational journey which would ideally be a structured return to the mainstream classroom. However we fully understand and support the fact that this may not be the case for all pupils.

The Nest journey for every child will be different and staff will work closely with families and outside agencies to monitor, review and develop provision. As an outward facing organisation which is keen to learn from others and to achieve the best outcomes for the individuals the Nest is committed to staff development.

THRIVE Approach  

In the Nest we follow the THRIVE approach in our setting using the 6 principles of nurture:

1. Children's learning is understood developmentally
2. The classroom offers a safe base
3. The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing
4. Language is a vital means of communication
5. All behaviour is communication
6. The importance of transition in children's lives

The six principles of nurture were developed by educational professionals Eva Holmes and Eve Boyd (1999).

PACE

We also follow the PACE approach in our setting.

• P – Playfulness
• A - Acceptance
• C – Curiosity
• E – Empathy

Pace is a way of thinking, feeling, communicating and behaving that aims to make the child feel safe. For further information on the different strands of PACE click here.