Virtual School Kent’s journey to become the first VS nationally to achieve NNSP accreditation

This will be a significant achievement for our whole school and not only that, but we have been working closely with Nurture UK to co-produce this award for other Virtual Schools too.

A key feature of this school development work is to ensure we really are true to the six principles of nurture in our everyday practice - in how we support our young people, our partners and also our own staff. The whole school has contributed to ideas around the NNSP and our apprentices have also helped to put VSK’s Nurture Principles into words by young people for young people.

These can be seen in our new logo and are:

• Whatever changes you face we are here to guide you.
• No matter what age, everyone is at a different stage.
• VSK can help you find your voice.
• How you behave tells us how you feel.
• VSK can be your safe space.
• Nurture helps you feel happy and healthy.

An essential part of this development is how VSK are using the Boxall Profile to keep improving how we understand our young people and work with schools, social workers and foster carers to improve outcomes for children from early years all the way to those in post 16. Please see our Boxall FAQ document for more information.

Each Team at VSK now has a Nurture Ambassador and they are supporting with how this develops, so thank you to Helen Humphrey, Vanessa Neal, Laura Hunt, Jeffrey Reene Louise Walbyoff, Nicola Mitchell - and to Emma Wills who has been supporting with this for Previously Looked After Children and Amanda Ormond who has been there from the very start of this journey.

Please take a look at the VSK Nurture Principles video by our Headteacher Tony Doran on what NNSP means to us and for all we work with. We hope you enjoy it!