Drawing on the work of South Rise Primary School, Jo Corrigan considers what makes nurture group provision successful, the impact it has on children and their families, and offers advice for schools

Not all children are ready to meet the social and intellectual demands of school life. Research shows that a child is able to learn best when they have strong self-esteem, a sense of belonging and resilience. Nurture groups offer a short-term focused intervention which addresses barriers to learning arising from social or emotional difficulties.

Nurture groups were originally developed in 1969 by educational psychologist Marjorie Boxall, who famously said: “If the child is unable to adjust to the needs of the school, then the school must adjust to meet the needs of the child.”

The groups are small, structured teaching groups for children showing signs of behavioural, social or emotional difficulties, particularly those who are experiencing disruption or distress outside school. There are now more than 1,500 schools with nurture provision in the UK, offering opportunities to experience the early nurturing experiences that some children have not had. Nurture groups are developed around six principles:

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