In Your Area - Romford primary school wins an award for positive impact on pupils

This has helped children to be resilient and able to learn during what has been a challenging and uncertain year.

This article was published on the InYourArea website on 20 April 2021 and is available to view online here.

A Romford primary school has won an award for its focus on pupils' mental wellbeing.

Rose Lane Primary School has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils, helping to prevent mental health issues arising in the future.

The school has gone through a rigorous assessment process with Thrive®, which trains teachers and other education professionals to support the emotional and social development of all children.

The Leadership award recognises extraordinary schools which are making a positive impact on their pupils and the wider community by having a focus on emotional wellbeing and are leading on making this a key factor of children's learning and development.

Headteacher Jacqui Barnard said: "We are delighted with the award of Thrive Ambassador School with Excellence in Leadership because it recognises the work of the school in supporting our children as they adapt to life during and after a global pandemic.

It also underpins the qualities of resilience, independence, ambition and integrity which are some of the core values identified in our pupil Life Goals Passports.  Embedding Thrive across all aspects of life at Rose Lane Primary will enable our children to realise our motto 'Nurture, Inspire, Flourish' beyond their years with us and throughout their lives."

Thrive's Ambassador Schools scheme has been launched as a way of recognising excellence in the way schools use Thrive to promote positive mental wellbeing. There are five areas in which a school can evidence how they support children's social and emotional development:  Environment, Leadership, Right-time, Reparative and Relationship, with a special Ambassador School of Excellence Award for schools that achieve the highest standard across all five categories.

As well as submitting an in-depth application form, the school was visited by Thrive staff, when allowed under coronavirus restrictions, to observe and assess the way that teachers and other staff implement the Thrive Approach® to help build the emotional resilience of children, so that they can better manage the ups and downs of life and be more open to learning.

Alistair Dewar, Thrive's Relationship Manager for London. said, "Everyone at Rose Lane has worked incredibly hard to get Ambassador status and they richly deserve this success. The school has committed to putting pupil's mental wellbeing at the heart of everything they do and this has really helped children to be resilient and able to learn during what has been a challenging and uncertain year."

Over to you

Reduced anxiety and behavioural incidents. Calmer classrooms filled with engaged leaners. Improved relationships with parents and carers. These are just some of the outcomes reported by settings embedding Thrive’s whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing. Are you ready to join them? Click here to get started.