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St Josephs Primary School, Slate Street, Belfast
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The National Nurturing School Award

16th Jan 2018

The National Nurturing Schools Programme

We are delighted to announce that we are in the final stages of The National Nurturing School Award!!

The National Nurturing Schools Programme is a programme that allows staff to develop and embed a nurturing culture throughout our school, enhancing teaching and learning, promoting healthy outcomes for children and young people, all by focusing on emotional needs and development as well as academic learning in a whole-school environment. And for schools to gain recognition for achieving a higher level of nurturing provision, there is The National Nurturing School Award – assessed and awarded by NGN.

The programme is based on the six principles of nurture.

1.       Children's learning is understood developmentally

2.       The classroom offers a safe base

3.       The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing

4.       Language is a vital means of communication

5.       All behaviour is communication

6.       The importance of transition in children's lives

The National Nurturing Schools Programme is to compliment nurture groups.

Who Benefits…

  • Pupils benefit – from the approach that supports them in their specific needs while delivering teaching and learning in a way that all can access. The pupil is at the heart of the school focus and their learning is understood developmentally.
  • Parents benefit – from being involved and welcomed in the school, in seeing the improvement in the children’s learning, behaviour, confidence and attendance. A better outcome for their children both in and out of the school and classroom.
  • Teachers benefit – from a renewed focus on their pupils and a culture change where every voice counts. A more balanced measure of outcomes for individual pupils ensues. 
  • Schools benefit – from showing their commitment to developing an ethos and culture that is inclusive supports everyone in and associated with the school
  • Communities benefit – from having a school that wants to be at the heart of the community and demonstrates its central role in children and young people’s lives.

How do we achieve the National Nurturing School Award?

The programme takes place over a two-year period. The school is assessed against its performance targets within the Nurturing Schools Framework. 

We hope to achieve the award this year - so fingers crossed!! We will be the first school in the country to receive this prestigious accolade, recognising the excellence of our whole school!