The challenge of including children with special needs in a mainstream school is boldly addressed in Nurturing the New. The programme follows a small group of Year 7 pupils at Shoeburyness High, a large community comprehensive in Southend on Sea. In a radical move the school has employed primary trained teachers to support those children with special needs who find the transfer to secondary particularly difficult. The children are taught in a small group in a single class with a curriculum differentiated to meet their needs. Known as the achievement groups, these dedicated support bases are designed to improve self esteem, learning and behaviour in a nurturing environment until pupils are ready to join the mainstream. Explore how nurturing the most vulnerable students can help to put them on the path to success.

Video Series: Secondary Special Needs
Release Date 2005