Our policy work
We’ve spent decades working to influence the education agenda, and we’re excited that 2022 will see a renewed focus on this area of our work.
We’re going to be talking to politicians and policy-makers across the UK, presenting the evidence for nurture’s success in tackling some of today’s biggest issues in education and social exclusion.
What do we want?
It’s simple: we want governments to adopt a nurture approach for the education of every child and young person in the UK. This means:
Recognising that nurture is integral to addressing pupils’ social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.
Recognising that nurture is a key part of the solution to school exclusions, and reflecting this in government guidance, policy and regulatory frameworks.
Making nurture a key part of all teacher training programmes and mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers who are already qualified.
Providing funding for UK schools to implement a whole school approach to nurture.
Why is this so important?
Today, ever more children and young people are affected by social, emotional and behavioural difficulties that hinder their progress and limit their life chances.
We also know that in our current education system, a huge proportion of students are not receiving the support they need to thrive, due to a lack of awareness, funding and suitable training.
No child left behind
The problem is particularly acute for disadvantaged pupils: without the right support at school, they can fall into cycles of low achievement, develop behavioural difficulties, and are put at greater risk of school exclusion.
We believe that every child should be supported to make the most of their education, and that an unequal start in life shouldn’t mean an unequal chance to learn.
The diagram on the right is from our Now You See Us report.
Why is nurture the solution?
We’ve spent over 50 years developing tools and resources that remove students’ barriers to learning and help them to be the best they can be.
There is strong academic evidence that this approach works: nurture groups, nurturing schools and the Boxall Profile® enable teachers to identify and address pupils’ needs and provide them the skills and resilience they need to thrive both in school and beyond.
Policy news
A powerful portrayal of the need for nurture
nurtureuk and Tender to deliver new inclusive education programme in London
An important step in the right direction – new behaviour guidance is a welcome shift
The importance of a whole school approach – welcoming new guidelines on wellbeing in education.
Supporting all young children to succeed at school: nurtureuk responds to COYL report
Nurtureuk and SafeLives help to increase knowledge of domestic abuse in schools