The Nest
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
Engage: 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
Our SEMH offer
• Bespoke learning tailored to the needs of the students.
• Learning provided and supported in small steps tailored to the needs of the students.
• Personal and social skills work in small groups or interventions.
• Therapy dog time.
• Lots of active learning time.
• Forest school time.
• Life skills activities.
• Adaptive and flexible teaching & learning.
• Adults supporting children to work on personal development targets.
• Supportive & nurturing ethos & culture.
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.
The Nest offers a range of opportunities for children and young people to engage with missing early nurturing experiences, giving them the social and emotional skills to do well at school and with peers, develop their resilience and their capacity to deal more confidently with the trials and tribulations of life, for life. We follow these approaches to help our children to reach their full potential.
6 Principles of Nurturing
A nurturing approach recognises that positive relationships are central to both learning and wellbeing. A key aspect of a nurturing approach is an understanding of attachment theory and how early experiences can have a significant impact on development. It recognises that all school staff have a role to play in establishing the positive relationships that are required to promote healthy social and emotional development and that these relationships should be reliable, predictable, and consistent where possible. A nurturing approach has a key focus on the school environment and emphasises the balance between care and challenge which incorporates attunement, warmth and connection alongside structure, high expectations and a focus on achievement and attainment. It is based on the understanding of 6 Nurturing Principles:
- Children's learning is understood developmentally
- The classroom offers a safe base
- The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing
- Language is a vital means of communication
- All behaviour is communication
- The importance of transition in children's lives
The six principles of nurture were developed by Educational Professionals Eva Holmes and Eve Boyd (1999).