North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has commended two schools in the region for the way in which they have taken a whole-school approach to nurture.

Speaking in Wednesday’s  Short Debate in the Assembly on ‘Wales’s whole school approach: Supporting all children to flourish, learn and succeed in schools’, Mr Isherwood referred to the “excellent practice” at  Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon in Shotton and Ysgol Maesincla in Caernarfon.

Speaking in the Chamber, he said:

“40 schools in Wales are currently on Nurtureuk's National Nurturing Schools Programme, building a whole-school nurturing approach, but also, according to Nurtureuk research, in 2015, there were 144 schools in Wales with some form of nurture provision, an increase on 101 from 2007.

“On the work of schools in North Wales, in particular...... Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon in Shotton, but also Ysgol Maesincla in Caernarfon, both excellent examples of settings taking a whole-school approach to nurture. I've often given attention to school exclusions, and particularly how these disproportionately impact pupils with additional learning needs. Ysgol Maesincla has seen a reduction in exclusions since it's opened its nurture groups and adopted a whole-school approach. Similarly, in Shotton, Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon has said that during its nurture group sessions, its pupils take part in activities to develop self-awareness, build self-esteem, perseverance and positive thinking, which support their well-being, behaviour and, therefore, their learning.”

Ysgol Ty Ffynnon was the first school in Wales to complete the 2-year National Nurturing Schools Programme, which allows staff to develop personally and professionally whilst embedding a nurturing culture throughout their schools, enhancing teaching and learning, promoting healthy outcomes for children and young people. This is achieved by focusing on emotional needs and development as well as academic learning in a whole school environment.