What we do & how we do it

Who is the NEST for?

We offer part time alternative provision for young people who are struggling to engage in or access education. Our current 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 or bullying,
are neurodivergent
have an EHCP
experience safeguarding vulnerabilities
have mental health difficulties or Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
are at risk of offending or exclusion

What do we do?

At the NEST we Nurture Empathy and Self-esteem Together. We take a holistic, trauma-informed approach in supporting young people to unlearn internalised self-critical messages and promote the conviction 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 the learners improve positive engagement skills, self-regulation, effective communication, social responsibility and critical and aspirational thinking.

We use coworking, ensuring we centre lived experience and meet learners where they are. We collaborate closely with learners, caregivers and commissioners towards individual, tangible goals. Collaboration, transparency and bespoke feedback are key to our goal setting, reflecting and reviewing.

We embed equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, working through anti-discriminatory and identity-affirming lenses. Mutual respect, allyship and empathy are role modelled. Discriminatory language and attitudes are productively challenged.

How do we do it?

The NEST works under a coproduced community agreement that underpins behaviour expectations. This agreement is created, renegotiated and reviewed with learners. It informs a 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 anonymously online to support learner comfort.

We explore themes, e.g. identity, sustainability, dance, belonging. Themes inform projects, their design, planning, execution and evaluation, e.g. creating art, research projects. Projects can involve group work and solo elements. All projects integrate five key elements: life skills, community skills, self-care skills, creative skills and learning skills (including maths, English, science and ICT).

Life skills

Learners develop life skills to support independence and autonomy. These include practical elements such as financial literacy (budgeting), meal preparation, time management and transport independence. More nuanced skills are addressed through opportunistic and structured conversations on media literacy, critical thinking, political awareness and engagement (voting).

Community skills

Learners work with local communities/initiatives providing meaningful, evidence-based wellbeing support and embedding environmental and social responsibility. Learners develop other community skills such as enterprise, event planning and advocating for social issues important to them. We aim to create an inclusive community that instils belonging and purpose.

Self-care skills

Learners develop their emotional awareness and wellbeing through creating personalised cool down plans including self-regulation techniques and exit strategies. Self-soothing and de-escalation skills have deep benefits in interpersonal relationships, reducing antagonistic interactions and improving effective communication and relationship building. Physical wellbeing is supported through movement, access to 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 skills

Creative expression benefits mental health, communication, holistic thinking, research and feedback skills. Learners explore different media and materials, learning through inference and experimentation. Learners research forms of art and individual artists as well as accessing and researching natural environments for inspiration. Creative skills are developed alongside logistical considerations like planning and resourcing. Seeking and appropriately responding to feedback is embedded throughout to support the development of robust self-esteem.

Learning skills

Learners develop a more positive relationship with learning, supporting 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 are celebrated.