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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.
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:
The full report can be accessed below:
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