Comittee for Education

MEDIA OPERATIONAL NOTICE

14 June 2010

 

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE VISITS NURTURE GROUP AT BALLYSALLY PRIMARY SCHOOL, COLERAINE

Members from the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Education will today visit a Nurture Group Unit in Ballysally Primary School, Coleraine.

The visit has been organised to provide Members with an opportunity to see first hand how Nurture Groups work and the benefits they offer to children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The Committee will also meet with parents and teaching staff to discuss future developmental options and current funding issues which may impact on the future of Nurture Groups in schools throughout Northern Ireland.

VISIT DETAILS

Venue: Ballysally Primary School, Coleraine

Date Wednesday 16 June 2010

Time: 11am – 12pm

FURTHER INFORMATION

• The Committee Members attending this visit are:

Mervyn Storey MLA, Committee for Education Chairperson.
Alastair Ross MLA, Committee for Education.

• The Principal of Ballysally Primary School is Mr Geoff Dunn and the school’s website can be accessed at http://www.ballysallyps.co.uk/.

BACKGROUND

Nurture groups are classes of around 10 children set up in schools, mostly in primary schools but also in some secondary schools. Nurture groups help children to re-establish good relationships with adults and promote a sense of security and safety for children whose wider experience may be chaotic and disturbing, enabling children to begin to see school as a place to experience success. On becoming more secure emotionally children find that their capacity for cognitive learning also increases and they begin to make progress with normal school tasks. The groups are an integral part of the school’s provision, understood and supported by all the staff.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

There will be opportunities for photographs with the Committee members during their visit. Interviews will also be available with Committee for Education Chair, Mervyn Storey, MLA. Please contact the Communications Office to schedule.

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY

More information on media opportunities is available from:

Jennifer Pleavin
Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Tel: 028 9052 1606
Mob: 07502 379339
Email: jennifer.pleavin@niassembly.gov.uk

Sinead Murphy
Deputy Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 9052 5938
Mobile : 07899 864368
Email: sinead.murphy@niassembly.gov.uk