Every academic year, St Mark’s welcomes around forty new children to the school during the school year in addition to the intake in Reception and nursery class.

Sunbeams is a nurture group for newly arrived children from reception through to year 6.

• All new arrivals joining Reception to Year Six will be placed in the ‘Sunbeams’ group.
• The ‘Sunbeams’ group takes place on four mornings per week between 8.50 a.m. and 10.30 a.m.
• The group is run by Miss Lockley and Mrs Jarvis – the school Learning Mentors.
• All new pupils will be shown around the school and made aware of key members of staff which will be reinforced using photographs.
• Each child will be provided with a diary to record their progress.
• A checklist will be completed at the end of the first week by Sunbeams staff and also by the class teacher. If the child has settled well and has no additional language or support needs they will exit the group.
• The child will have targets set if they remain in the group.
• The teaching focus in the group will be nurture, developing social skills and basic language.
• A language assessment and basic number screen will be done if required.
• A further assessment will be done at the end of four weeks in the group. Children may exit the group at this point or remain in the group for a further two weeks (maximum of six weeks).
• When children exit the group, they will be given an EAL assessment profile (Bell Foundation), self-help pack and support plan. These will be monitored half-termly by the Inclusion Team.