BALLACLOAN Infant's School has become the fifth school in the Island to be given the prestigious Marjorie Boxall Quality Mark Award.

The school in Douglas received the award, which comes via the Nurture Group Network UK, for the Heron Room which has been open for nine years.

The award recognises quality of practice and is named after Marjorie Boxall - an educational psychologist who worked in inner London schools in the 1970s. She founded the principles of nurture groups as a response to the difficulties presented by the children she worked with.

Nurture groups are small and homely classes that offer children a safe secure environment with a carefully planned routine. This is usually for part of the school week and over only two or three terms.

At Ballacloan all pupils spend time in the Heron Room where the focus is on developing social and language skills, self esteem, and confidence to produce happy and successful learners.

Jill Gill, headteacher at Ballacloan said: "It takes a person with special qualities to be an effective nurture practitioner and this award is well-deserved.  I would also like to thank staff of the Education Improvement Service, in particular Chris Scott, for supporting my staff as they prepared their submission for the award."

There are 11 nurture groups in the Island's primary schools and four in the secondary schools. Four schools hold the award – Murray's Road Junior, Willaston Primary, Victoria Road Primary and Ballquayle Infants.

It's hoped all 11 primary nurture groups will attain the award by 2012.