Drapers’ Maylands Primary School, in Harold Hill, London, is one of five schools in the Drapers' Multi-Academy Trust and supports around 350 children aged 3 to 11.
Serving a community facing significant deprivation and many children struggling with unmet SEMH needs, Principal Ms Spillane and her leadership team recognised the urgent need to put emotional wellbeing at the heart of the school’s culture.
By embedding the Thrive Approach, Drapers’ Maylands has cultivated a calm, inclusive and emotionally supportive environment, where children are flourishing socially, emotionally and academically.
Why Thrive?
When the school opened its doors in 2015, Ms Spillane undertook an in-depth review of current research and best practice. Thrive stood out as a comprehensive, evidence-based approach that resonated with the school’s vision and values. It not only offered a framework for understanding children’s emotional development, but practical strategies for responding to their individual needs.
Crucially, Thrive aligned with the school’s commitment to creating a deeply nurturing, child-centred approach that prioritised emotional safety as the foundation for learning.
Implementing the Approach
From the outset, Thrive was woven into the fabric of the school. All staff were trained as part of their induction, with the expectation that Thrive strategies would be used by all colleagues when interacting with pupils. In addition, several team members became Thrive Licensed Practitioners, ensuring the school had the expertise and capacity to deliver both one-to-one and group interventions.
Thrive strategies inform lesson planning, unstructured times like play and Free Learning (EYFS and KS1), and daily routines such as transitions, ensuring children experience consistency and emotional safety throughout the day. Regular CPD and shared reflection ensure staff stay confident and committed in their practice.
Creating a culture of calm, focus and respect
Embedding Thrive from day one has enabled Drapers’ Maylands to create and sustain the nurturing environment it had set out to achieve. The school culture is rooted in emotional safety and respect, with visitors often commenting on the pupils’ calmness, focus and positive behaviour – qualities the team say are a direct result of Thrive being embedded in daily practice.
Thrive-Online plays a key role in supporting pupils and driving school improvement. Every class is assessed regularly using the platform and the data is used along with teacher referrals to identify children in need of additional support.
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This targeted approach has enabled the team to effectively support pupils who would typically struggle with dysregulation or disengagement when faced with academic challenges. Now, thanks to regular Thrive sessions, these children are emotionally regulated, engaged and making good progress.
The school’s consistently calm and purposeful atmosphere has been recognised externally, with Ofsted rating personal development, behaviour and welfare as ‘Outstanding’ in its last inspection. Thrive continues to underpin this strength, equipping children with the tools they need to manage emotions, sustain focus and develop resilience in the face of challenges.
Through meditation, responsive interactions and consistent relationship-building, formerly unsettled groups have become calm and ready to learn. The team has created a purposeful environment that reduces distractions and overstimulation, enabling children to become focused and confident learners.
Using Thrive-Online for decision making
Thrive-Online is not only used in the classroom but is a vital tool for the school’s leadership team. Insights from the platform are regularly shared with senior leaders and governors to inform decisions on wellbeing-related initiatives. These have included introducing social dining, offering free bagels each morning, providing school uniform and shoes, and increasing enrichment experiences.
Thrive-Online data also feeds directly into the school’s strategic planning, influencing policy and whole-school approaches to emotional wellbeing. Plus, it informs SEND interventions and contributes to EHCP referrals, ensuring every child receives the tailored support they need.
Engaging parents and the wider community
Through Family Thrive sessions, the school has been able to increase engagement with parents and carers, helping them to better understand the Approach and its benefits. The sessions equip families with practical tools and strategies to support their children’s emotional wellbeing, strengthening the connection between school and home, and building a shared understanding of each child’s needs.
Feedback from parents highlights improved confidence in managing emotions at home and a greater sense of partnership with the school. This is reflected in ‘Parent View’ responses, where the vast majority of families say their child feels happy and well supported at Drapers’ Maylands.
As a Thrive School of Excellence, Maylands also shares its approach with other schools, offering insights into successful implementation and supporting a wider culture of emotionally informed practice.
Becoming a Thrive School of Excellence
To recognise the extraordinary impact Drapers’ Maylands is having on its pupils and the wider community, the school has been named as a Thrive School of Excellence. The award is the highest level of achievement in Thrive’s Ambassador School scheme, which shines a light on settings showcasing outstanding mental health and wellbeing support.
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“We’re absolutely overjoyed to have been awarded Thrive School of Excellence status,” said Ms Spillane. “Thrive truly is the foundation for everything at Maylands. The transformation in our children, and our entire school community, speaks volumes. We’re immensely proud of our staff, whose commitment to Thrive is evident in every classroom, corridor, conversation and interaction with children.”
Advice to other schools
For schools considering whether to adopt Thrive, Drapers’ Maylands has a clear message: “We would wholeheartedly encourage any school considering Thrive to take the plunge,” they said. “The difference it makes is both immediate and long-lasting. With consistent delivery and a shared commitment across staff, the results are remarkable. You’ll witness children evolve from anxious, disengaged or withdrawn learners into confident, curious and emotionally secure individuals ready to embrace their learning and thrive in the world beyond.”
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