Brook Bears
Our nurture group, Brook Bears has been running since September 2013.
Nurture Groups were developed in 1969 by an educational psychologist, Marjorie Boxhall. She noticed that a large number of children were entering school presenting with behavioural, social and emotional needs. They were unable to form trusting relationships with adults and peers, so she invented the Boxhall Profile, a framework for children who need help in school through a nurture group.
Nurture groups are a small provision within a school supporting children who have some difficulties in the main classroom with a team of staff.
Who is Brook Bears for?
Brook Bears has been set up for children with behavioural, social or emotional difficulties which may include:
- Lack of self esteem
- Withdrawn
- Unable to share and take turns
- Doesn’t trust adults/peers
- May lack social skills
- Disrupts other children in the classroom
- Has behavioural issues
- Cannot sit still and listen
- Poor language/communication skills
- Struggling in the mainstream classroom environment.
Entry into Brook bears has been carefully considered by the staff who work with the children and the individual needs they have.
What does the Bears room look like?
The Brook Bears room is designed to have a nurturing atmosphere with a seating area for eating, sensory area, learning and activity tables. Food the most fundamental expression of care is shared at breakfast and afternoon snack times with the opportunity for social learning. An emphasis is placed on communication and language development through the interaction with Bears adults and Bears children.
When does Bears take place?
Brook Bears runs for two sessions daily. The morning transition time (which includes a breakfast snack) is from 8.45 to 9.15am and the afternoon session runs from 3.00 to 3.25pm.
The children can access the room during the school day if needed. The children attend Bears from between one and four terms. Brook Bears is led by Miss Nicklin plus seven teaching assistants.
Some other small groups of children attend Brook Bears for a nurture group session once per week.
What do the children do in Brook Bears?
The children talk about feelings, problems and issues through group discussion, social interaction, circle time, snack time, activity and reward time.
Brook Bears aims to enable the children to develop a trusting relationship with adults and can be supported to relate well with others. The consequent development of a positive self-esteem and sense of security provide a self confident child who can take responsibility and exercise independence. This in turn develops self-respect and a sense of well being. Children begin to take pride in their achievements, become happier, more confident and more motivated to learn.
