Hornsea Community Primary School became the first primary school in East Yorkshire to be presented with the Marjorie Boxall Quality Mark Award on Friday January 18. The award is given by NurtureUK to recognise the excellent work the school have done with pupils in nurture groups.
The accolade is awarded to schools who demonstrate exemplary practice in supporting a range of pupil needs in their school nurture groups. Nurture groups are in school, teacher led groups that help children overcome barriers to making the most of school and learning.
The award was presented by MP Graham Stuart who congratulated the school on the work they had done to achieve the award. School governors, staff from NutureUK, nursery school head teacher Mrs Claire White and secondary school head teacher Mr Steve Ostler were also in attendance with staff from the primary school who had helped to achieve the award.
NurtureUK’s Chief Executive Keven Kibble said: “Hornsea has evidenced its success in running an outstanding nurture group, and the beneficiaries of their hard work every day are the children attending the school, their families and the wider community. Our standards to achieve this award are exacting and many congratulations are due to the staff and pupils at the school.”
Nurture groups are an educational psychologist-designed, teacher led intervention, which removes behavioural barriers to engagement and attainment in schools. NurtureUK is a charity that aims to break cycles of low achievement and tackle social exclusion by ensuring an equal chance to engage in learning.
Hornsea Community Primary School head teacher Mrs Arwen Whitehead said on receiving the award: “The staff and governors are extremely proud to receive this award as it recognises the hard work and commitment of everyone at Hornsea Primary who seek to ensure our pupils have access to a nurturing education which supports the whole child. Our new enhanced resource provision, The Orchard, opened in September 2018 and we have already been able to support a number of children with this new specialist nurture provision, we are very grateful for the support of the local authority with this.”
The Orchard
The event also marked the official opening of The Orchard, a separate building within the school grounds which consists of four areas. The Acorn Room is a small learning environment with a class like feel. The Oak Room provides a continuous provision environment with elements including construction, art and a home corner. The Sensory Room contains a dark den and sensory play equipment. There is also a kitchen area where pupils spend time eating together as well as baking. The Orchard also has its own outdoor space with raised beds and a greenhouse allowing pupils to grow and eat their own food. The Orchard provides short term intervention with pupils gradually returning to their classes in the main school.
Chair of the Governors Mr Bob Tonks said: “As Governors we’re really proud of what happens at the school, this new award for nurture is fantastic. Thank you to Arwen whose leadership has been transformational along with Mrs Jayne Haigh’s. It’s a school that’s not complacent. The kids love the school and there is very little staff turnover, there’s lots of mutual support. It’s a school that puts the child at the core.”