The Nest Curriculum
The Nest’s Vision
At the Nest the philosophy of ‘Nurture’ is central to the curriculum. Staff work and plan together to enable students to access a differentiated, aspirational, academic curriculum: one which is designed to challenge and engage.
Our curriculum has been created based on the understanding that attainment only follows when students feel valued, trusted and held in positive regard. Although our curriculum is nurture based, students still experience the same learning opportunities, skills and concepts as their peers in mainstream settings through carefully scaffolded, structured and supported lessons.
An excellent Primary Curriculum is one that is accessible for all, empowers individuals and engages every learner. It is one where students learn from their own starting points and teachers build on these to develop each individual’s potential, ensuring they succeed. It allows students to be confident learners from their initial formative years, helping them to develop with a strong sense of self-efficacy.
A constructive Primary Curriculum is the first building block to a positive and sustainable future as a lifelong learner.
Our School
Our site is situated in the heart of Bristol, in the area of Downend in Bristol. The Nest is based in the Frome Vale Academy building which is situated in the nine acres of Downend.
The NEST is a re- engagement nurture-based provision for primary aged students (5-11 years), who are struggling with education in a mainstream setting due to social emotional and or mental health problems. The Nest also can provide support for students with difficult home environments, children in care, adopted children or children who have experienced emotional trauma and in need of some time to build their emotional resilience in order to cope with life at school.
Learning outside the classroom
The ethos of the Outdoor Classroom allows children the time and space to develop skills and understanding through a range of activities, which provide practical, hands-on experiences in a natural environment. This time is dedicated to discrete lesson in which students will build on their knowledge and understanding across the curriculum subjects in an open, natural environment.
Our Curriculum Offer
Our curriculum is carefully planned and taught, ensuring that students are successful and engaged. The curriculum matches the age-related skills from the New Primary Curriculum and is taught as a cross curricular model. Children also receive discreet lessons in:
- Maths
- Spelling
- Phonics
- Reading
- Weekly Forest School
- Outdoor Classroom
Afternoon Lessons:
During the afternoon, learning is centred around Thrive and the individual/group’s needs of the child/ren, through a carousel approach.
All efforts are made to match the Thrive activities to the Termly Learning Topic.
Other subjects such as Art, DT, Food Technology, Computing, PSHE, Music, PSHE and British Values will also run alongside the Thrive activities and are generally led by a Learning Mentor.
Students also take part in weekly Nest Natters, where they are encouraged to share their opinions, beliefs and thoughts and feelings. These ideas are then incorporated into the termly planning.
