Whole-School Nurturing Approaches: A Systematic Analysis of Impact

Whilst there is a good deal of international research evidence on the impact of Nurture Groups in schools, less is known about the impact of whole school nurturing approaches on pupils and schools. This systematic analysis aims to address this gap. A total of 146 papers were retrieved from four databases and thirteen from other sources. After excluding 61 duplicate papers, 98 papers were screened in relation to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and only 13 papers were finally selected. Results suggest that nurturing approaches can have a positive impact on pupils’ social, emotional and behavioural needs, academic progress, other pupils in the mainstream class/school, parents and home life, and the whole school. However, the quality of research was generally low. Additionally, the length of time a nurturing approach is in place in a school contributes to its effectiveness. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.