How Meridian High School transformed behaviour, attendance and culture

Supporting young people's wellbeing at Meridian High School in Croydon hasn't just improved attendance and behaviour – it's helped break the cycle of generational poverty and opened up new possibilities for every student.
In a community facing real challenges, staff at Meridian have shown what's possible when you put social and emotional support at the heart of everything you do.

Meet Meridian High School

Meridian High School is like many secondaries across the country. They have students who face tough challenges at home. Many struggle with persistent absence. Some find it hard to manage their emotions or see a positive future for themselves.

A few years ago, the leadership team made a decision. They wouldn't just accept these challenges as part of school life. They'd do something about it.

They recognised that helping students with their emotional wellbeing wasn't separate from academic success – it was the foundation for it.

 

   

What changed

The impact has been life-changing. Here's what the Thrive approach means to people at Meridian, in their own words:

“Children are children - it doesn’t matter whether they’re in a school that’s outstanding or struggling. Thrive still has a place.” - Headteacher“

Everyone actually believed in me to change. I’m proud of who I am now.” - Student

“Thrive is about empowering our students to think ‘I can do this.’ Their emotions or experiences don’t need to be a barrier to what they can achieve." - Assistant Head for Personal Development

The results

In response, we’ve created a new SEMH intervention designed specifically for mainstream secondary schools. It provides the tools, training and structure you need to achieve measurable outcomes and feel confident ahead of inspection.

Attendance got better:

• 17% improvement in overall student absence
• 15% drop in persistent absence

Behaviour transformed:

• Big improvements in positive behaviour, with an average 56-point rise per student
• Students who once struggled now believe in themselves

Recognition followed:

• After more than 15 years, Meridian achieved an Ofsted 'Good' rating in 2023
• Inspectors specifically mentioned the school's improved behaviour, strong pastoral support, and positive relationships

What made the difference?

It wasn't a quick fix. Meridian's success came from understanding that every student's emotional wellbeing directly affects their ability to learn, build relationships, and believe in their future.

Using the Thrive approach, staff learned to:

• Understand what's really behind challenging behaviour
• Give students the right support to develop crucial life skills
• Create an environment where every young person feels valued
• Build stronger relationships with students and families

Could Thrive work in your school?

Meridian's story shows what's possible when you commit to supporting students' social and emotional development. It proves that even when you're facing real challenges, things can change.

If you're looking for ways to support behaviour and wellbeing in your school, we've developed a dedicated SEMH intervention for mainstream secondary schools. It gives you the tools, training, and support to create lasting change.

We have limited places on our September cohort, and we're accepting applications until 11th July.

Ready to make a difference? Secure your SEMH intervention starting this September

Learn more