Become a Thrive Early Years Setting
A practical, evidence-informed approach that helps your team understand behaviour, support children’s personal, social and emotional development (PSED), and build strong foundations for learning, without adding pressure to your day.
When behaviour feels unpredictable and children’s needs are becoming more complex, Thrive gives you a clear, consistent way to respond.
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What it means to be a Thrive Early Years Setting
Becoming a Thrive Setting means your team shares a clear understanding of children’s development and what their behaviour is telling you.
You can recognise where each child is developmentally and respond in ways that help them feel safe, settled, and ready to explore and play.
In practice, this means less second-guessing, more consistency across your team, and greater confidence when supporting children with a wide range of needs.
What changes in a Thrive Early Years Setting
Children settle and engage more quickly
When children feel safe and understood, they’re better able to regulate, explore, and take part in play and early learning.
Staff respond with clarity and confidence
Your team knows what to look for and what to do next, reducing mixed responses and uncertainty in the moment.
Your environment feels calmer and easier to manage
Fewer escalations and less time spent firefighting behaviour create more settled, predictable days for everyone.
Evidence you can trust
Thrive has been independently evaluated by ImpactEd, based on data from over 2,600 schools.
Schools using Thrive show:
These outcomes are driven by a focus on emotional development and early identification of need -
foundations that are central to high-quality early years practice.
What underpins a Thrive Setting
Two core elements make Thrive work in practice.
At least one member of staff trains as a Thrive Licensed Practitioner.
They help your team to:
- Understand early childhood development in a practical, usable way
- Recognise unmet developmental needs behind behaviour
- Plan responses matched to each child
- Build confidence and consistency across your team
Thrive-Online helps you build a clearer picture of each child and track their development over time.
Through Thrive-Online, you can:
- Understand each child’s developmental stage
- Plan support that meets them where they are
- Track progress in PSED over time
- Talk to parents with clarity and confidence
It also includes My Thrive Scan, which gives you a snapshot of staff views on wellbeing and readiness to learn.
Learn more about Thrive-Online
Two ways to become a
Early Years Thrive Setting
DIRECT ROUTE
Thrive PSED provision for early years settings
A supported way to get started and embed Thrive in your setting.
What's included:
- Licensed Practitioner training | £849
- Annual Thrive-Online subscription | Starting from £100
- Support from a Thrive implementation expert
Prices exclude VAT.
Eligible settings may be able to use the Inclusive Early Years Fund to help fund this route, where it fits with their inclusion priorities.
FUNDED ROUTE (ENGLAND ONLY)
Thrive Early Years Lead Apprenticeship (Level 5)
A levy-funded option that builds expertise while embedding Thrive.
What's included:
- Licensed Practitioner training and a Level 5 qualification
- Thrive-Online access during the programme
- Learning built into your day-to-day practice
£9,000 £0
To keep Thrive School status after the apprenticeship, schools continue with Thrive-Online or train another apprentice.
Not sure which route is right for you?
If you’d like to talk through your options, book a conversation with a member of our team.
In this 30-minute discussion, you can explore your context, priorities and funding routes, and decide whether Thrive is the right fit for your setting.
How Thrive can grow in your early years setting
Many settings deepen their approach over time, building consistency and expertise across their team.
01
Training additional staff
Grow your internal capacity and shared understanding.
02
Advanced training
Take Thrive practice further by helping Licensed Practitioners build deeper expertise in children’s emotional development and wellbeing through the Thrive Advanced Practitioner programme.
03
Engaging parents and carers
Train a Family Thrive Course Leader to share the approach with parents and carers in practical, accessible ways.
04
Recognition and excellence
Work towards Thrive Ambassador and School of Excellence status, recognising sustained impact.