Nurture groups in secondary schools

Abstract

Nurture groups are school-based interventions that offer specialist support for children and young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Initially developed as an early years intervention in the 1970s, nurture groups dwindled in the 1980s but have enjoyed something of a renaissance over the last 15 years. There are now more than 1000 nurture groups in the UK, with a growing number of secondary schools adopting nurture groups as a means of enhancing their school-based provision. In this article the ‘classic’ nurture group model is described and research evidence is highlighted. Head teachers and practitioners reflect on the unique aspects of support on offer to secondary schools through the adoption of nurture groups and suggestions are made regarding the way in which the ‘classic’ nurture group model might be adapted and introduced successfully to secondary settings. The Boxall Profile is a key assessment tool associated with the identification of those pupils requiring this form of intervention. The paper discusses the creation of a secondary version of the Boxall Profile.