The C.U.B.E. (Cranbrook Behaviour Centre) is an Additional Resource Provision which opened its doors to identified Redbridge pupils in September 2016, as a result of a school led initiative undertaken by Redbridge Primary and Special school Headteachers, who identified a need and worked in partnership with the Local Authority to start the intervention.It is the culmination of commitment and strategy developed by Headteachers to support children with social, emotional and mental health needs through a therapeutic approach and early intervention, working in tandem with the existing provision within Redbridge. The centre provides short stay placements (maximum of two terms) for primary age pupils (12 in total) from Year 2 to Year 6, following a referral by their mainstream school.
The structure of the school week involves a split placement between the CUBE and children’s mainstream school. Children in Year 2 and Year 3 will attend the CUBE three days a week (Monday to Wednesday) whilst children in Year 4 to Year 6 will attend four days a week (Monday to Thursday), receiving a nurturing programme of support, which aims to enable them to self-regulate their behaviour and make them emotionally ready to be successful at school. In addition to this, they will also access Cranbrook Primary’s mainstream provision, in order to continue their link with whole class settings and to build confidence in practising newly learnt skills and strategies.
We aim to provide an ‘attachment friendly’ environment for vulnerable pupils, so that they are able to access the full mainstream provision before returning full-time to their own setting. Cranbrook Primary School and the CUBE are committed to safeguarding its pupils and working in partnership with parents, carers and multi-agencies for the benefit of all our pupils.
The main remit of the CUBE is to provide a nurturing intervention, for a set period of time, with the view that children will return to their mainstream setting. The placement also serves as an assessment opportunity, which identifies and adds to the repertoire of support already received by the child. This time at the CUBE, create opportunities for the mainstream school to make other reasonable adjustments around the child, including new strategies learnt, for parents to try new strategies at home and for other professionals to observe and work with our children, as and when needed. The greatest progress is seen when parents/carers, school and the CUBE team work closely and in support of each other. In this respect communication is key. Daily reports are shared with parents/carers, and weekly reports are shared between the mainstream setting and the CUBE.
The Curriculum
Communication and Understanding of Behaviours for Education (CUBE). The name is an acronym underpinning the fundamentals of the ‘Behaviour Centre’ at Cranbrook Primary School, thus extending our already excellent provision for a range of learners.
Communication: These children are trying to communicate a need (although inappropriately) and we need to understand what is being communicated (the hidden message) and empower them to become emotionally literate and better communicators.
Understanding of Behaviours for Education: We want to develop the ‘whole child’, addressing their anxieties, exciting them in their learning (academic and extra-curricular), recognising and highlighting their strengths, developing their areas of need and enabling them to become more aware of social norms.
As the children will come to us at different ages and from different schools, we aim to cover the core skills in our curriculum based on the National Curriculum which will be facilitated through a variety of exciting topics using a cross curricular approach. The core skills will focus around English (with Reading being a high priority), Maths, Science and Outdoor learning, which will include Gardening, Swimming and Horse Riding. The children will have the opportunity to work with and care for the school dog.
Overarching the academic learning skills will be the essential area of social emotional development. The children will be taught how to identify and label their feelings and express their feelings and emotions in an appropriate manner. They will also be taught the process of repairing and restoring friendships and relationship. This will include the skill of self-regulating behaviour, peer support and developing team building skills through cooperation and care. The main principles underpinning the support provided at the CUBE is through the Nurture approach.
What is nurture?
The concept of nurture highlights the importance of social environments – who you’re with, and not who you’re born to – and its significant influence on social emotional skills, wellbeing and behaviour. Children and young people who have a good start in life are shown to have significant advantages over those who have experienced missing or distorted early attachments. They tend to do better at school, attend regularly, form more meaningful friendships and are significantly less likely to offend or experience physical or mental health problems.
The nurturing approach offers a range of opportunities for children and young people to engage with missing early nurturing experiences, giving them the social and emotional skills to do well at school and with peers, develop their resilience and their capacity to deal more confidently with the trials and tribulations of life, for life.
The Six Principles of Nurture
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Children's learning is understood developmentally
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The classroom offers a safe base
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The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing
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Language is a vital means of communication
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All behaviour is communication
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The importance of transition in children's lives