The clearest evidence yet that Thrive’s social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) interventions lower pupil exclusion and absence rates has been revealed in new large scale independent research.
Data from two studies by ImpactEd Group, one which compared the performance of 1,700 Thrive schools across England against DfE pupil attendance and exclusion data, found that these schools had fewer exclusions and lower absence rates as well as enhanced staff wellbeing.
The key findings are:
- Thrive schools have 27% fewer exclusions than the national average.
This is equivalent to 4 fewer exclusions per 10,000 pupils per year. Every permanent exclusion is an average lifetime cost to the state of £170,000 according to figures from the Institute for Public Policy Research. - Absence is 3% lower and severe absence is 15% lower in schools that use Thrive, compared with those that don’t.
These figures were 5% and 38% respectively for a smaller sample of Thrive’s most engaged customers completing 100 or more individual pupil assessments. - Teachers in Thrive schools have better staff wellbeing than the national average.
Beyond pupil benefits, Thrive SEMH interventions also yield positive impacts for the education workforce. Benchmarked against the Teacher Wellbeing Index, teachers in Thrive schools saw wellbeing improve by 5% within an academic year.
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Meridian High School in Croydon is using Thrive to equip staff with the knowledge, skills, and resources to develop trusted relationships that promote positive mental health in children and young people. Staff are trained as Thrive Licensed Practitioners to roll-out the approach across the school. This includes one-to-one and small group sessions, peer mentoring and whole school initiatives.
The approach has resulted in significant improvements in attendance, with overall student absence improving by more than 17% in 2023-24, and persistent absence down by 15%. Positive behaviour has also seen a substantial increase, with an average rise of 56 points per student.
Headteacher Amy Anderson said: “Thrive has played a major role in this transformation by helping us create a school that students want to come to and where staff are happy. It is central to our behaviour and wellbeing policy and is integral to our culture.
“Our team are trained through Thrive to use non-confrontational language and focus on building positive relationships with students. If students show challenging behaviour it is because of an inability to regulate themselves. Thrive has given the students strategies to self-regulate and staff a framework to constructively support our pupils. Our school is a different place as a result.
“If children’s emotional wellbeing is nurtured then they will be able to learn effectively, and the rest will follow. Through adopting the Thrive Approach we are not only enabling our young people to succeed educationally but teaching them skills that will be with them for life.”
Tom Preston, Thrive’s Commercial Director, said: “These interim findings reveal significant improvements in the key areas that matter most to schools, communities and policymakers, with fewer exclusions, lower absence rates and enhanced staff wellbeing.
“The research also highlights the link between staff wellbeing and pupil wellbeing. You can’t change the culture to change attendance and behaviour unless you look after the staff. A dysregulated adult cannot regulate a dysregulated child. The approach will improve the quality of relationships between the adults and the children and we see that in this research data.”
Get the full report in September
A waitlist is now open to register for a copy of the full findings, scheduled for publication in September.
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