“Fantabulosa!” Children’s perceptions of one secondary school Nurture Group

Gates, Rachel (2010) “Fantabulosa!” Children’s perceptions of one secondary school Nurture Group. Lancaster University.

Preview

Available under License In Copyright. Download (164kB) | Preview

Abstract

In the current educational climate, with high exclusion rates and fears over disruptive behaviours in schools increasing, research into interventions such as Nurture Groups (NG) designed to help children cope with behavioural, emotional and social problems, is increasingly important. The current study has built on research into NG effectiveness, looking at children’s perceptions of a NG in a secondary school, through questionnaires and interviews. It was found that many children felt the NG has helped them with behaviour and confidence, and particularly liked the home environment of the NG classroom; however, their opinions of the NG were often difficult to separate from affection for the NG teacher, suggesting teaching style is essential to NG effectiveness. Implications for teacher training are discussed, and conclusions also emphasise the importance of whole-school support for NG success.