A Safe Space to Belong, Grow and Flourish

At Wittersham Church of England Primary School, we believe that every child deserves to feel safe, valued, understood and supported to achieve their full potential.

The Nest is our dedicated inclusion provision, offering a calm, nurturing and structured learning environment for children who benefit from additional support with their academic learning, communication, emotional wellbeing, sensory needs or social development.

Guided by our Christian values of Courage, Compassion and Cooperation, The Nest provides a supportive environment where children can build confidence, develop independence, overcome barriers to learning and celebrate their individual achievements.

Our Approach – Different Pathways, Shared Ambitions

We recognise that children learn and develop at different rates and that some pupils require additional time, repetition or carefully adapted teaching to secure their understanding.

The Nest provides opportunities for personalised, curriculum-linked learning that responds to children's individual starting points whilst maintaining ambitious expectations for their progress and achievement.

Through smaller teaching steps, explicit modelling, practical learning experiences and opportunities to revisit and consolidate key concepts, we help children develop secure foundations and the confidence to tackle new challenges.

Our aim is not simply to provide additional support, but to empower children with the knowledge, skills and independence needed to participate successfully in their classrooms and the wider school community.

Specialist Teaching and Learning Within The Nest

We are fortunate to have experienced and knowledgeable staff who bring a range of expertise to our inclusion provision.

Mrs Kate Robertson – Early Learning, Phonics and Number Development

Mrs Robertson brings extensive experience and specialist knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to The Nest.

She provides targeted teaching for children who require additional opportunities to develop and consolidate their early reading, phonics and mathematical understanding.

Through practical, engaging and carefully structured learning experiences, Mrs Robertson helps pupils strengthen their foundational skills, address gaps in learning and develop confidence in their abilities.

Her teaching builds on each child's individual starting points, ensuring that essential early learning skills are securely embedded before pupils progress to more complex concepts.

Mrs Lucy Cotton – Personalised Teaching and Learning

As a qualified teacher, Mrs Cotton brings valuable teaching expertise to The Nest, providing carefully adapted, curriculum-linked learning for pupils who benefit from a more personalised approach.

Lucy delivers structured teaching at a pace that allows children additional time to process information, consolidate understanding and practise essential skills.

Through smaller teaching steps, explicit modelling, practical resources and regular opportunities for reinforcement, she ensures that learning remains accessible, meaningful and appropriately challenging.

Her approach maintains high expectations whilst recognising that some children require additional time, repetition and carefully tailored teaching to achieve success.

Working closely with class teachers and our SENCO, Lucy ensures that learning within The Nest complements classroom teaching, addresses individual barriers and supports pupils in developing the confidence, knowledge and independence needed to flourish.

What Support Does The Nest Provide?

Depending on individual needs, children accessing The Nest may benefit from:

• Personalised Academic Teaching – Carefully sequenced, curriculum-linked learning designed to address gaps in understanding, consolidate key concepts and develop secure foundations.

• Early Phonics and Reading Development – Targeted teaching to strengthen phonological awareness, decoding, early reading skills and reading confidence.

• Early Number and Mathematical Understanding – Practical, multisensory learning opportunities that develop number sense, mathematical fluency and confidence.

• Speech, Language and Communication – Structured activities that support vocabulary development, listening, understanding, expressive language and social communication.

• Emotional Regulation and Wellbeing – Opportunities to recognise and manage emotions, develop coping strategies and build resilience.

• Sensory and Regulation Support – Access to appropriate resources, movement opportunities and personalised strategies to support sensory processing and readiness to learn.

• Social Skills and Positive Relationships – Carefully planned opportunities to develop communication, cooperation, friendships and positive interactions.

• Confidence and Independence – Activities that encourage children to make choices, solve problems, recognise their achievements and become increasingly independent learners.

Support may be delivered through individual teaching, small-group sessions or planned learning opportunities within The Nest.

How Do Children Access The Nest?

Access to The Nest is based on identified individual needs and is carefully considered by our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), Mrs Carly Catt, in collaboration with class teachers, support staff and families.

Children may access The Nest for different reasons and for varying periods of time, depending on their individual learning and developmental needs.

Provision follows our graduated approach of Assess, Plan, Do, Review, ensuring that support is carefully planned, monitored and evaluated against clear intended outcomes.

We work closely with parents and carers to ensure that families understand the purpose of additional provision and are involved in reviewing their child's progress.

Supporting Successful Inclusion in the Classroom

The Nest is an important part of our whole-school approach to inclusion, but it does not replace a child's classroom or their entitlement to a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum.

We ensure that pupils remain connected to their class community, maintain positive relationships with their peers and have opportunities to participate fully in school life.

Teaching and interventions within The Nest are closely linked to classroom learning, with strategies and skills reinforced across both environments.

As children develop greater confidence, understanding and independence, their provision is reviewed and adapted to reflect their progress and changing needs.

Our ultimate aim is to equip pupils with the skills and strategies they need to engage successfully and independently in their classroom learning.

Working Together for Every Child

The Nest operates under the leadership of our SENCO, Mrs Carly Catt, who oversees the planning, delivery and evaluation of personalised provision.

Our specialist teaching and support staff work collaboratively with class teachers, families and external professionals to ensure that provision is consistent, purposeful and responsive to each child's needs.

We recognise that strong relationships and effective communication are essential to successful inclusion, and we place children and their families at the heart of our decision-making.

A Place to Flourish

At Wittersham, we believe that inclusion is about more than providing additional support. It is about ensuring that every child experiences belonging, achievement, opportunity and success.

We maintain high aspirations for all pupils whilst recognising that the journey towards achieving their goals may look different.

Through nurturing relationships, specialist expertise, personalised teaching and carefully planned support, The Nest helps children build secure foundations, develop resilience and become confident, increasingly independent learners.

Guided by our Christian vision and values of Courage, Compassion and Cooperation, we are committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to flourish.

The Nest – A place to feel safe, grow in confidence and spread your wings.