We offer part time alternative provision for young people in the community who are struggling for myriad reasons to engage in or access education. Our main age range is 11 to 16 (KS3 and KS4). We work with a range of young people, including but not limited to, learners who experience social exclusion at school, are neurodivergent, have an EHCP, experience safeguarding vulnerabilities, have mental health difficulties, are at risk of offending, are at risk of exclusion.
At the NEST we Nurture Empathy and Self-esteem Together. We take a holistic, trauma-informed approach to supporting young people to unlearn the self-critical messages they may have internalised and lay down the foundation for the belief that they are already good enough.
We support learners to build a positive relationship with learning and to develop their curiosity, self-awareness, confidence, and autonomy. Through compassionate and empowering teaching and learner-led projects and activities we support young people to improve their positive engagement skills, self-regulation, effective communication, social responsibility, critical and aspirational thinking.
We work through the principles of coproduction ensuring we are centring lived experience and meeting learners where they are. We collaborate closely with learners, caregivers, schools and local authorities towards individual tangible goals. Collaboration, transparency and bespoke feedback are at the centre of goal setting, reflecting and reviewing.
We embed the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging and work through a lens of anti-discrimination. We work in an identity-affirming way. Discriminatory language and attitudes are productively challenged. Mutual respect, allyship and empathy are emphasised and role modelled.
The NEST community works by a coproduced community agreement that underpins behaviour expectations. This agreement is created, renegotiated and reviewed collaboratively with learners. It informs a coproduced transparent system of privileges and responsibilities, cultivating an environment of accountability, cooperation and involvement.
As well as the more structured elements described below, we make time for intentional and opportunistic conversations that encourage curiosity and deepen understanding of social issues, differences, media, current events. Diversity of perspective and compassionate communication are encouraged and respectful disagreement scaffolded. We encourage curious questions asked in good faith. Questions and discussion topics can be submitted online and anonymously to support the comfort of leaners.
We work through themes, e.g., identity, sustainability, dance, belonging. The themes inform projects, their design, planning, execution and evaluation, e.g., creating a piece of physical art, developing a research project. Projects can involve group work and solo elements. All projects integrate five key elements: self-care skills, life skills, learning skills (including maths, English, science and ICT), creative skills and community skills.
We support learners to develop life skills to support independence and autonomy. These include practical elements such as financial literacy and budgeting, meal preparation and cooking, time management, transport competence and independence. More nuanced skills are threaded throughout through opportunistic and structured conversation and include development of media literacy, critical thinking, political awareness and engagement (including voting).
We learn about and work with local community initiatives offering meaningful and evidence-based wellbeing support, embedding environmental and social responsibility. We support learners to develop other community-based skills such as enterprise, event planning and advocating for social issues that are important to them. We aim to create an inclusive community that instils a sense of belonging and purpose in its members.
We support learners to develop their emotional awareness and wellbeing through creating their own personalised cool down plans including self-regulation techniques and exit strategies. Self-soothing and de-escalation are useful skills that will have deep benefits in interpersonal relationships, reducing antagonistic interactions and improving effective communication and relationship building. Physical wellbeing is supported through movement, access to nature and natural spaces, learning about food and improving somatic awareness. Movement is part of every day in a variety of forms including dancing, walking, playing games. Learners take the lead in setting and evaluating their SMART targets and complete daily reflections.
Creative expression benefits mental health, communication, holistic thinking, research and feedback skills. We facilitate learners in developing familiarity with different media and materials and learn through inference and experimentation. Learners research different forms of art and individual artists as well as accessing and researching natural environments for inspiration. Creative skills are developed alongside logistical considerations such as planning and resourcing. Seeking and appropriately responding to feedback is embedded throughout to support the development of robust self-esteem.
We aim to help young people to develop a more positive relationship with learning, supporting chances of remaining in education and progressing. We work collaboratively on developing numeracy, literacy, science and ICT skills and confidence through applied project-based learning and exploring. Learners develop exam techniques (those in key years), research skills, critical thinking. Learners set and review their own SMART goals and achievements will be celebrated.