There are a number of aspects to Rutland NS which make us a Nurturing School in addition to us having a Nurture Room…
Nurture Rooms
We trained with Nurturing Schools Ireland in May 2021 and opened our Nurture Room in September 2021. Small groups of children attend daily for a session where they have tea & toast and do a ‘check in’ before doing some social & emotional learning and some brain calming activities. The children love attending the Nurture Room and the space it gives them to talk about what’s on their mind. The Nurture Room is located on the top floor beside our beautiful roof garden.
Care Team
The weekly care team has been a longstanding feature of the school. The Principal and HSCL meet with class teachers on a rotational basis to ascertain any needs the children may have (especially with regard to wellbeing) and how such needs might be addressed. Our new City Connects co-ordinator also attends the meetings.
Restorative Practice
We have been training with the National College of Ireland (NCI) on Restorative Practices and are on the journey to becoming a Restorative School. The emphasis is on building relationships. If there is conflict, RP attempts to restore relationships rather than assign blame. We use Restorative Practice questions to address issues which may arise between children.
Art therapy
Andrea our art therapist works every Thursday in the school with children in a 1:1 capacity. Teachers refer children they have concerns about and feel would benefit from some therapeutic support. Parents are asked for consent and children receive 6-12 sessions. Andrea offers a dyadic approach often bringing parents into the session with their child.
Student Council
The voice of children is important in Rutland NS. We set up a Student Council in September 2016 and it has been a big success. We took a break during COVID but are back now meeting every Tuesday afternoon. Children from 2nd – 6th class sit on the council, with each class voting for one girl and one boy to represent them. The council makes suggestions of changes they would like to see in the school, organises an annual fundraiser and also tries to do something community based. In March 2023, they had a meeting with Tanya Ward, head of the Children’s Rights’ Alliance.
