The purpose of the Iona Room is to provide effective support for pupils who are disaffected, underachieving, at risk of exclusion or vulnerable because of family or social issues. They provide short-term teaching and support programmes tailored to the needs of pupils who need help in improving their behaviour, attendance or attitude to learning.

The Iona Room is the Nurturing Hub inside St Columb’s College. Four members of staff have been trained in the administration of the Boxall profile and in nurturing provision. Since its inception at the beginning of 2019, many pupils have benefited from the mentoring and nurturing programme. We also work in partnership with the Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum who run a F.A.C.T. (Families Achieving Change Together) programme in the Iona Room twice each week. Again, many of our pupils have been supported and developed in positive ways through this programme. Pupils are taught how to manage change, how to be resilient in the face of adversity and challenge, how to organise themselves and have a healthy work/ life balance and how to look after their physical, emotional and mental health.