Nurture Provision in Primary Schools

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The Department of Education currently provides funding for 62 Nurture Groups in primary schools in Northern Ireland. In addition, a ‘Nurture in Education Programme’ is available to all primary, special, post-primary schools and Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) settings. This will allow those schools without a funded Nurture Group avail of training and support in nurture approaches. A Nurture Advisory & Support Service (NASS) has been established within the Education Authority to take this work forward.

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Nurture Group Provision

Nurture groups are a short-term, focused intervention for children with particular social, emotional and behavioural difficulties which are creating a barrier to learning within a mainstream class.

Each group consists of between 6 to 10 children, normally from Years 1 to 3, led by a nurture group teacher and classroom assistant. Children attending the nurture group remain an active part of their main class, spending appropriate times within the nurture group according to their need, and typically return full time to their own class within two to four terms.

Nurture groups assess learning and social and emotional needs and give help that is needed to remove the barriers to learning. The relationship between the two nurture staff is always nurturing and supportive, providing a role model for children.  Food is shared at ‘breakfast’ or ‘snack time’ with much opportunity for social learning, helping children to attend to the needs of others, with time to listen and be listened to.

As the children learn academically and socially they develop confidence, become responsive to others, learn self-respect and take pride in behaving well and in achieving.

Nurture support is not limited to the nurture group, as all schools will embed the nurturing principles and practice at a whole school level, providing appropriate support for all pupils attending the school.

Evaluation of Nurture Group Provision

Queens University Belfast (QUB) was commissioned by the Department of Education to undertake an evaluation of nurture groups and examine the impact of the 30 groups then funded by the Department. 

The QUB evaluation found clear evidence that nurture groups are having a consistent, significant and large effect in improving social, emotional and behavioural outcomes among children who previously had difficulty learning within a mainstream class. The same effects were not evident among children in similar circumstances attending a school without a nurture group.  The report also found that nurture groups are cost effective with the potential to deliver significant savings to the education system.

An Executive summary of the report can be found below:

Executive Summary

The full report can be accessed below:

Full Evaluation Report

 


Primary Schools with a Nurture Group

The following schools receive funding from the Department of Education for a NG

Abbots Cross Primary School
86 Doagh Road
Newtowabbey
Antrim
BT37 9QW

Ballycraigy Primary School
Bracken Avenue
Antrim
BT41 1PU

Ballykeel Primary School
22 Creebilly Road
Ballymena
Antrim
BT42 4DN

Ballysally Primary School
Dane’s Hill Road
Coleraine
BT52 2QU

Blackmountain Primary School
Blackmountain Place
Belfast
BT13 3TT

Bloomfield Primary School
Bloomfield Road South
Bangor
Down
BT19 7PN

Bunscoil Bhean Mhadigan
156 Cliftonville Road
Belfast
BT14 6LA

Camphill Primary School                               
65 Carolhill Park
Ballymena
Antrim
BT42 2DG

Carrick Primary School
Sloan Avenue
Lurgan
Armagh
BT66 8NY

Christ the Redeemer Primary School
Lagmore Drive
Dunmurray
Belfast
Antrim
BT17 0TG

Clandeboye Primary School                          
Clandeboye Road
Bangor
BT20 3JW

Currie Primary School
111-113 Limestone Rd
Belfast
BT15 3AB

Edenbrooke Primary School 
230 Tennant Street
Belfast
BT13 3GG
Elmgrove Primary School 
289 Beersbridge Road
Belfast
Antrim
BT5 4RS

Fountain Primary School
Hawkin Street
Londonderry
BT48 6RE

Glenwood Primary School 
4-22 Upper Riga Street 
Belfast
Antrim
BT13 3GW

Good Shepherd Primary School
Good Shepherd Road
Belfast
BT17 0PJ

Harmony Primary School
Forthriver Crescent
Belfast
BT13 3SS 

Harpurs Hill Primary School
Ballycastle Road
Coleraine
BT52 2ER

Harryville Primary School
Casement Street
Ballymena
BT42 4BY


Hart Memorial Primary School            
Charles Street
Portadown
Craigavon
Armagh
BT62 4BD

Hazelwood Integrated Primary School    
242 Whitewell Road
Newtownabbey
BT36 7EN

Holy Evangelist Primary School
Glasvey Drive
Belfast
BT17 0DB

Holy Family Primary School
Aileach Road
Londonderry
BT48 0AZ

Holy Trinity Primary School
Monagh Road
Belfast
BT11 8EG 

Holy Trinity Primary School 
Derrin Road
Cornagrade
Enniskillen
Fermanagh
BT74 6AZ

John Paul II Primary School
Whiterock Road
Belfast
BT12 7FW 

Kilcooley Primary School
Ganaway Avenue
Bangor
BT19 1QS

Linn Primary School 
70-74 Killyglenn Road
Larne
Antrim
BT40 2HT

Millburn Primary School 
Artillery Road
Coleraine
Londonderry
BT52 2AQ

Nettlefield Primary School            
Radnor Street
Belfast
Antrim
BT6 8BG

Our Lady’s Girl’s Primary School        
Deanby Gardens
Belfast 
BT14 6NN

Primate Dixon Primary School            
School Lane
Coalisland
Dungannon
BT71 4NW 

Rathcoole Primary School
Derrycoole Way
Newtownabbey
BT37 9EL

Scoil An Droichid
4 Cooke Street
Ormeau Road
Belfast
BT7 2EP

St Anthony’s Primary School 
Tullygally Road
Legahory
Craigavon
Armagh
BT65 5BL

St Brigid’s Primary School
578 Carnhill
Shantallow
Londonderry
BT48 8BZ

St Brigid’s Primary School            
Broughshane Road 
Ballymena
Antrim
BT43 7DZ

St Clare’s Abbey Primary School        
1 High Street 
Newry
Down
BT34 1HD

St Clare’s Primary School
323 Cupar Street
Belfast
BT13 2SE 

St Colmcille’s Primary School
Glebetown Drive
Downpatrick
BT30 6PZ

St Francis Primary School 
28 Francis Street
Lurgan
Armagh
BT66 6DN

St John’s Primary School             
Bligh’s Lane
Londonderry 
BT48 9PJ

St Joseph’s Convent Primary School        
19 Edward Street
Newry
Down
BT35 6AN

St Joseph’s Primary School
Slate Street
Belfast
BT12 4LD 

St Joseph’s Primary School            
54 Greystone Road
Stiles 
Antrim
BT41 1JZ

St Kevin’s Primary School 
446 Falls Road
Belfast
Antrim
BT12 6EN

St Kieran’s Primary School
Bell Steel Road
Belfast
BT17 0PB

St Malachy’s Primary School
Eliza Street
Belfast
BT7 2BJ

St Malachy’s Primary School
Carnagart, 
Newry
BT35 8PJ

St Oliver Plunkett Primary School
Parkmore Drive 
Strathfoyle
BT47 6XA

St Oliver Plunkett Primary School 
452 Glen Road
Belfast
Antrim
BT11 8AY

St Patricks Primary School
3 Churchill Street 
Belfast
BT15 2BN

St Patrick’s Primary School
Killyman Road
Dungannon 
Tyrone
BT71 6DE

St Patrick’s Primary School             
22 Racecourse Road
Londonderry
BT48 7RD

St Patrick’s Primary School            
20 Ballinlare Gardens
Rooney’s Meadow 
Newry
Down
BT35 6EX

St Paul’s Slievemore Primary School
Moss Road
Galliagh
BT48 8JZ

Taughmonagh Primary School
Findon Gardens
Belfast 
BT9 6QL

Tullygally Primary School
21 Meadowbrook Road
Lurgan
BT65 5AA
    
Victoria Park Primary School            
182 Connsbrook Avenue
Belfast 
BT4 1JY

Westwinds Primary School
Sunderland Park
Newtownards
BT23 4RQ    

Whitehouse Primary School            
2 Doagh Road 
Newtownabbey
Antrim
BT37 9NZ

 

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