The transition from primary to secondary school is considered to be a challenging process for all pupils, but particularly difficult for those with social and emotional difficulties. Nurture groups aim to develop social and emotional skills and are seen to correspond closely with the recommendations made in transition literature. It is therefore proposed that nurture provision could be an effective means of supporting socially and emotionally vulnerable pupils in the transition. Previous literature adds support to this view, but no study as yet has focused specifically upon this topic. A small-scale case study design was used to explore the ways in which one secondary school applied nurture principles to support vulnerable pupils through the transition process. The research followed an embedded, single case design incorporating contextual and interview data regarding the school's nurture provision. Contextual information was gathered through the research diary and analysed in relation to the identified propositions. In addition, four illustrative case examples surveyed the views of the nurture facilitator and three pupils who received different levels of nurture support: these interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. An integrated case description combines the findings from all data sources and offers a coherent account of the provision.The findings support the proposition that nurture provision can be an effective means of supporting socially and emotionally vulnerable pupils in the transition to secondary school. In line with nurture literature, the findings suggest that secondary schools need to adapt the primary nurture model to ensure provision meets the needs of their setting and cohort. While this promotes flexibility, secondary schools still need to adhere to a number of core principles to ensure they are delivering a true nurturing approach. A tentative model is presented, which proposes that secondary school nurture provision should aim to support social and emotional development through a range of provision that is firmly grounded in psychological theory. Provision should adhere closely to the six nurture principles, with effective identification of needs informing a personalised approach that is tailored to each individual pupil. The importance of relationships for learning and development is emphasised. The thesis concludes by suggesting that nurture provision can be an effective means of supporting socially and emotionally vulnerable pupils in the transition to secondary school, providing a number of core elements are in place.

Tyrimo objektas – fiziškai aktyvių ir fiziškai neaktyvių moksleivių psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raiška rudens ir pavasario laikotarpiais. Problema – trūksta tyrimų, kuriuose būtų analizuojamos problemos, susijusios su moksleivių adaptacija, emocijų ir elgesio sunkumais, neadaptyvaus elgesio paplitimu. Reikia pripažinti, kad daugelis atliktų tyrimų yra epizodiniai, pasižymintys fragmentiškumu. Pasigendama tyrimų, kuriuose būtų išsiaiškintos visos psichologinių sunkumų priežastys (vidinės – susijusios su emocijomis, ir išorinės – susijusios su aplinka, šeima, mokykla). Tyrimai, kuriuose nagrinėjamas sezoniškumo poveikis susirgimų pasireiškimui ir psichoemocinės būklės pokyčiams, dažniausiai apima vyresnio amžiaus žmonių kontingentą, tačiau trūksta tokio pobūdžio tyrimų, kuriuose būtų tiriami jauni žmonės. Tyrimo prielaida – moksleiviai daugiau psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų patiria rudenį nei pavasarį. Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti 16 – 18 metų, fiziškai aktyvių ir fiziškai neaktyvių moksleivių psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raišką rudens ir pavasario laikotarpiais. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti 16 – 18 metų moksleivių fizinį aktyvumą ir psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raišką lyties ir amžiaus aspektu rudens ir pavasario laikotarpiais. 2. Įvertinti sezoniškumo poveikį 16 – 18 metų amžiaus paauglių fiziniam aktyvumui ir patiriamų psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raiškai. 3. Nustatyti 16 – 18 metų moksleivių psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raišką... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Research object was the expression of psychological functioning difficulties for physically active and physically inactive 16-18-year-old adolescents in the periods of autumn and spring. Research problem involved the lack of research analysing problems associated with schoolchildren’s adjustment, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and occurrence of maladaptive behaviour. It must be admitted that many of the studies are episodic and of fragmentary character. There is a lack of research examining the causes of psychological difficulties (internal - related to emotions and external - connected with the environment, family and school). Studies analysing the effects of seasonality on the manifestations of diseases and changes in psycho-emotional conditions often include the contingent of elderly people, but there is a lack of such studies that are subject to young people. Research hypothesis: schoolchildren encounter more psychological functioning difficulties in autumn than in spring. Research aim was to establish the expression of psychological functioning difficulties for physically active and physically inactive 16-18-year-old schoolchildren in the periods of autumn and spring. Research objectives: 1. Assess the effect of seasonality on the physical activity of 16–18 –year–old adolescents and the expression of the encountered psychological functioning difficulties. 2. Establish the physical activity and the expression of psychological functioning difficulties for 16–18... [to full text]