Nurture groups in primary

[MadLenny]

Does anyone have experiences of nurture groups in a primary school setting, either as a parent/carer or staff? My headteacher is looking for staff to set one up in school after the summer and I am very interested but wondered if anyone had any direct experiences they could share with me - good or bad.

Thanks x

Our primary school runs a nurture group and my ds1 has been in it since starting reception last year. (It runs five mornings/week for reception, five afternoons for rest of KS1/2.) I've been to a session as a parent helper and I've also seen the records of sessions from my son's files.

The nurture group has been brilliant for the children involved. During reception year when ds1 was in it every day his social skills (he has AS) improved tremendously although in yr 1 when he has only been in it 1 afternoon they have slid back again and I think it has been an immensely helpful strategy for helping children with all kinds of SEN in the school as well as those in reception who are not school ready yet. Most children spent quite a short time in the group, going back to the classroom f/t when they'd had a spell in the nurture group.

I'm a school governor and on the SEN cttee and I know that the SENCo and head are hugely committed to maintaining the nurture group even though it is very expensive two TAs run it full time and there are never more than 8 children in the gorup because the benefits to the children (and to the rest of the class they are in) are so great.

I would say if your school is setting one up it's a fantastic thing to be involved in. One of the TAs who runs the nurture group came on the Early Bird course with us and I was really impressed by what she told us about the way the nurture group works.

And what is more, DS1 really enjoys it.