Special Provision
At St Mark’s CE Primary School, we provide two additional support spaces to help children with a wide range of needs: our Nurture Room and our Busy Room. These spaces offer carefully planned, small-group or individual support so that every child can feel safe, understood and ready to learn.
Nurture Room
Our Nurture Room is a calm, supportive environment designed mainly for children who are experiencing Social, Emotional or Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties.
Here, children work in very small groups or individually to develop skills such as:
- emotional regulation
- confidence and self-esteem
- social and communication skills
- positive relationships
Staff use nurturing activities, routines and structured play to help children feel secure and to build the skills they need to succeed in the classroom.
Busy Room
The Busy Room is a highly structured and engaging environment designed for children with severe or complex learning needs, including those with sensory processing differences.
Activities may include:
- sensory exploration
- fine and gross motor tasks
- communication and interaction sessions
- personalised learning activities
The room is adapted to be low-distraction, safe and supportive, with specialist equipment where needed.
How children access these rooms
Children access either the Nurture Room or Busy Room during morning or afternoon sessions, depending on what best suits their needs. Sessions are:
- short, regular and consistent
- carefully timetabled to avoid unnecessary disruption
- reviewed frequently to ensure progress
Tailored to individual needs
All support offered in these rooms is planned very carefully:
- Each child has an individual plan based on their needs.
- EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) targets are incorporated into the sessions whenever relevant.
- Staff work closely with teachers, families and outside agencies to ensure strategies are appropriate, effective and consistent.
At St Mark’s CE Primary School, we offer a wide range of supportive provision to ensure all children feel calm, safe and ready to learn.
These approaches are tailored to individual needs and complement our Nurture Room and Busy Room.
Pastoral Intervention
We offer targeted pastoral programme for children needing deeper emotional support:
Hamish & Milo Programme
The Hamish & Milo intervention provides structured small-group sessions that use stories, creative activities and discussion to explore:
- big emotions
- friendship and belonging
- self-esteem
- loss, worry or change
- emotional literacy
- confidence and resilience
- positive relationships
- coping strategies for challenging situations
Both programmes help children build emotional awareness and resilience in a safe, relational environment.
Regulation Stations and Sensory Circuits
Across the school, children can access Regulation Stations, designated areas equipped with resources to help them manage their emotions and prepare for learning. These are available for independent use, with adult support where needed.
We also provide Sensory Circuits, which offer short, structured sequences of movement-based activities designed to:
- improve focus and attention
- support sensory processing
- help children regulate their bodies and emotions
Children may use these circuits as part of their daily routine or at specific times when they need help re-regulating.
Safe Spaces in Every Classroom
Each classroom includes a Safe Space—a calm, quiet area where children can:
- step away from sensory or emotional overwhelm
- use calming strategies
- regain readiness to return to learning
These spaces might include soft furnishings, visuals, fidget tools, sand timers, and breathing prompts.
Zones of Regulation
We use the Zones of Regulation framework across the school to help children:
- recognise and label their emotions
- understand how different emotions affect their learning
- choose appropriate regulation strategies
Classrooms display the Zones clearly, and staff model language that helps children describe how they feel and what they need.
Equipment to Support Regulation
To help children maintain readiness for learning, we use a range of regulation tools, which may include:
- fidget toys and chewables
- weighted cushions or lap pads
- wobble stools or balance cushions
- ear defenders
- visual timers
- breathing tools and mindfulness prompts
These are used as part of individual regulation plans, sensory diets, or EHCP targets.
How Everything Fits Together
Children may access this provision:
- in the mornings or afternoons, depending on need
- as part of a planned intervention timetable
- with activities aligned to their individual support plans and EHCP targets
- with regular reviews involving staff, families and external professionals
All of our provision is intentionally designed to ensure every child can feel secure, supported and successful.
