Anna Sabine, MP for Frome and East Somerset, joined pupils and staff at Hayesdown First School last term to open its new sensory room. The Frome school has been praised for its nurturing practices, and Ms Sabine also presented the Marjorie Boxall Quality Mark Award (MBQMA) in a special assembly, in recognition of how it cares for all its pupils.
The Quality Mark Award recognises the work of nurture groups within schools which are especially designed to improve the social, emotional, mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, as well as their resilience and self-confidence. The assessment was carried out by Nurture UK, a national charity.
Hayesdown was praised for integrating nurture practices across the whole school such as making the school lunch hall a calmer environment and creating ‘cocooning places’ around the school such as quiet reading corners in each classroom. This is the fifth time Hayesdown First School has achieved this prestigious award.
The inspector noted that:
- ‘There were so many examples of excellent practice ….. [and] there were clearly good relationships between staff and pupils.’
- ‘Staff mentioned how they had never worked in a school that had got it ‘so ‘right’ for pupils with these needs.’
The newly-opened sensory room adds to this already excellent provision, providing a much-needed calming space where children can regulate themselves in a safe environment. The school received donations from Toolroom Technology Ltd (TTL) and the Keyford Foundation to fund the space.
Simon Rogers, Business Development Consultant for TTL, said, “Many of our workforce are neurovarient and we were impressed to hear that Hayesdown First School is supporting children so effectively to harness their superpowers, as many companies will benefit from their unique skills in the future. We felt that TFL could help the school achieve its aim of ‘striving for excellence together’, as we believe neurodiverse children have so much to offer society.”
Julia Battersby, Head Teacher at Hayesdown, added, “We are very proud to have achieved the MBQMA award as our school strives to provide a safe and inclusive environment that supports every child to flourish. The Nurture team and our SENDCO, Mrs Crawley, work incredibly hard to ensure that we make the right adaptations for all of our pupils.
“The children themselves understand how our Sunflower Nurture Group supports them and they enjoy their learning. Our parents also welcome this more personalised approach for their children. With the generous donations of TTL and the Keyford Foundation, we have expanded our provision to include a sensory room which is already having an impact.”
