At Mead Vale, children are 'seen, cared for and loved' - National Nurturing Assessor May 2025.

A nurturing approach underpins everything we do here at Mead Vale Primary School.  It is something we are very proud of and our success with children and families very much depends on this approach. 

Following a rigorous assessment and successful completion of the National Nurturing Schools Programme (NNSP), we were awarded the National Nurturing Schools Award (NNSA) by Nurture UK in May 2025.  For the final assessment, the NNSA assessor met with children, parents, staff and the leadership team; all stakeholders consulted during the assessment described the school as ‘safe’, ‘an inclusive family,’ and a place where ‘kindness, care and fun are the norm’.

The final assessment report noted: “Parents feel well supported by the school – they notice “a really positive shift in school”. They value clear communication and the openness of staff – one parent said “there is no boundary between home and school” and explained that her son could see that everyone is on the same page, working to support him. Parents also talked about how the school looks after the whole family, not just the child.

The assessor finished the report by adding: Mead Vale is a nurturing school in the widest sense of the word. The Six Principles of nurture are embedded here, and exist harmoniously alongside a belief in play, belonging and well-being. Thank you for all you do to support your school community and for allowing me to be part of it for a little while.”

Here are some wonderful quotes from our National Nurturing Schools Award report:

💜The language of nurture has helped me, as a leader, to prioritise children feeling safe. (Headteacher) 

💙We are encouraging children to be confident and powerful. (member of staff) 

💚There is something magical about nurture when you add it to a place where people believe in it - it's very powerful. (member of staff) 

🧡Everyone has their own needs - if they need a strategy, they should have it. (young person)

💛Learning about the Six Principles has shown me the importance of kindness. (young person) 

❤️It's alright to feel worried; everyone gets worried sometimes. (young person) 

💙 It’s a very safe place. (young person) 

💜This school just feels like a family unit. (member of staff) 

💛The teachers are so patient, helping our children to thrive. (parent) 

💚There's been a really positive shift in school. (parent) 

🧡There is no judgement, just understanding - every child is known, cared for and loved. (parent) 

❤️Mead Vale is quite exceptional. (parent) 

💙We genuinely care about each child. (member of staff) 

💜We are creating an environment where children are safe to feel how they feel. (member of staff) 

💛We like to think of ourselves as tentacles that reach all over the school. (member of staff in the nurture group)