Surrey Nurturing Schools Programme
Evaluation of the Surrey Nurturing Schools Programme
The Surrey Nurturing Schools Programme was delivered to up to 100 primary and secondary schools across Surrey, in partnership with Schools Alliance for Excellence. Our shared goal was to strengthen inclusive practice and improve support for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs.
The package for each school included:
- Two year Boxall Profile® Online subscription including training for 10+ staff on how to carry out assessments to identify and support SEMH (social, emotional and mental health) needs.
- Whole-School Nurture Training Programme for 2 members of staff (incl. 1 member of SLT) with support and resources to embed a whole-school nurturing approach across the setting
- Training on Nurture Groups and Nurturing Interventions for 2 members of staff, enabling the setting to develop a nurturing provision for children and young people with high need.
- Termly networking sessions to share best practice with colleagues.
"I know that schools taking part in the programme felt supported by the nurtureuk team and have felt that the training itself has made a real difference to school culture, pupil and staff wellbeing and attendance overall. SAfE is a huge advocate for nurtureuk and the Nurturing Schools Programme has had such a positive impact on the 100 Surrey schools involved."
Emma Johnston, Programme Lead | Schools Alliance for Excellence
Impact of the programme
Overall, the programme has received positive feedback. The vast majority of participating schools reported satisfaction with the training, resources and support provided. In particular, the Boxall Profile® was consistently identified as a key strength of the programme, valued for both its diagnostic capability and practical strategies to support pupils.
Schools reported improved staff understanding of SEMH needs, more consistent approaches to behaviour and wellbeing, and stronger relationships between staff and pupils. There were also indications of improved pupil wellbeing, engagement with learning, and, in some cases, attendance. The programme has contributed to embedding nurture as a whole-school ethos rather than a targeted intervention.