Thomas Arnold Primary School, based in Dagenham, has been named as an Ambassador School with Excellence in Leadership after going through a rigorous assessment process by Thrive, which trains teachers and other education professionals to support the emotional and social development of all children. The 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.
“We felt really excited when we heard that we had been awarded Ambassador School status. Everyone has worked hard to get to this point and it’s great to have what we’re doing validated in this way. Thrive is something we live and breathe at the school and it’s made a real difference to the children here – they are more able to recognise and manage their emotions, they are calmer and able to settle and learn,” said Katie Parks, the school’s Thrive Lead and Counsellor.
Thrive’s Ambassador School Scheme has been launched as a way of recognising excellence in member schools. There are five areas in which school can evidence how they use the Thrive Approach to promote children’s wellbeing and prevent mental health issues at a later date: 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, before the coronavirus lockdown, 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.
“Thomas Arnold Primary School has done a fantastic job in embedding the Thrive Approach across the whole school. All staff have a good understanding of the Thrive Approach and are able to play their part in bringing it into lessons across the school day. There have been some amazing success stories as a result and the school really deserves to be recognised in this way,” said Mel Fisher, Thrive Relationship Manager - East.
Over to you
Are you leading the way in developing happy, emotionally-resilient children or young people? Are you feeling the impact of embedding the Thrive Approach throughout your setting? You too may be eligible for Thrive Ambassador School status. Click here to find out how to apply.
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