Thrive Ambassador School Programme

Thrive is dedicated to celebrating the commitment of the extraordinary schools that are making a positive impact on children, young people and the wider community by recognising their achievements as Thrive Ambassador Schools and Thrive Schools of Excellence.

School of Excellence Award | Thrive Ambassador Schools

 

Apply for Ambassador status

Is the Thrive Approach at the heart of your school or setting? Applying for Thrive Ambassador School status is simple.

Schools can show how Thrive helps children's emotional and social growth in five ways. These are:

  • Leadership
  • Right-time
  • Reparative
  • Relationship
  • Environment

Your school or setting can earn 'Ambassador status' in one or more of these five areas. Each award supports your setting to embed a key aspect of the Thrive Approach, helping to progress school improvement and recognise best practice. Achieving all five strands enables your setting to apply to become a 'School of Excellence' and celebrate the overall standard of your approach to mental health.

 

How to apply

  1. Your setting needs to have met the criteria to be recognised as having ‘Embraced’ Thrive (i.e. awarded the logo ‘We’ve embraced Thrive’). Please contact the Member Services team if you're unsure if your setting has been awarded Embraced status.
  2. You then need to complete a short self-assessment form, available in the Members Area
  3. Email your completed form to memberservices@thriveapproach.com and we will verify the information provided

 

Applications need to be submitted within the following time frames:

Autumn term application window
1st September - 30th November

Spring term application window
1st January - 28/29th February

Summer term application window
1st April - 30th June

Successful schools will be recognised with an exclusive logo and a certificate to display and celebrate their achievements. They could also be included in Thrive case studies and press releases. The application and certification process is free.

 

School of Excellence Award

The School of Excellence award is the highest level of achievement in the Thrive Ambassador Schools programme.  It is awarded to schools and settings that have achieved Ambassador School status in all five areas listed above and is a benchmark of all-round excellence for schools that have embedded the Thrive Approach.

Below is a selection of case studies from some of our Schools of Excellence. 

Red Oak Primary School: Thriving in the face of adversity

Red Oak Primary School: Thriving in the face of adversity

18th September 2024

Now a Thrive School of Excellence, Red Oak Primary School has seen attendance rates consistently rise above the national average, a significant reduction in exclusions, and improved academic and social outcomes for its children and young people.

Find out more

Dovecote School: ‘Outstanding’ from Ofsted and Thrive School of Excellence in just two years

Dovecote School: ‘Outstanding’ from Ofsted and Thrive School of Excellence in just two years

22nd July 2024

Dovecote School, in Somerset, opened its doors in September 2022. In just two years, the school has been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, and recognised as a Thrive School of Excellence for its commitment to young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Find out more

On Track Barnstaple: “Thrive underpins the success of our school”

On Track Barnstaple: “Thrive underpins the success of our school”

11th July 2024

Many of the young people at On Track Barnstaple have experienced unsuccessful school placements and struggle to see a future for themselves. However, On Track’s mission is to ensure every pupil has the opportunity to succeed and gain the skills they need to progress to the next phase of their lives. With the help of Thrive, On Track has grown into a calm, caring school where all pupils feel safe, valued and empowered to be themselves.

Find out more

Sutton Park Primary School: A ‘totally different place’ thanks to Thrive

Sutton Park Primary School: A ‘totally different place’ thanks to Thrive

19th June 2024

Looking for a solution to tackle disruptive classroom behaviour, Sutton Park started using Thrive in 2016. Since introducing the Approach, staff have been able to identify and support pupils struggling socially and emotionally, resulting in a significant reduction in behavioural incidents. Not only has the school been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, Sutton Park has also been recognised for its positive impact on pupils, and on the wider community, by being named a Thrive School of Excellence.

Find out more

Sheep Dip Lane Academy: From firefighting behaviour, to calm classrooms

Sheep Dip Lane Academy: From firefighting behaviour, to calm classrooms

16th April 2024

Sheep Dip introduced Thrive in 2014 after noticing that a number of children were struggling to manage their emotions. This was preventing some children from accessing learning and staff were constantly having to firefight behaviour, with little lasting impact.

Find out more

On Track Wisbech: The ‘extraordinary’ independent school re-engaging young people with learning

On Track Wisbech: The ‘extraordinary’ independent school re-engaging young people with learning

2nd April 2024

On Track Wisbech is an independent school providing specialist education for pupils aged 11-16. As each learner has different and sometimes complex needs, On Track introduced Thrive to help staff better understand pupils’ behaviour and how best to support them so they can flourish in life and learning.

Find out more

Masefield Primary School: From attainment struggles, to top 3% in the country

Masefield Primary School: From attainment struggles, to top 3% in the country

12th March 2024

Masefield introduced Thrive in 2021 after grappling with academic achievement, low-level disruptive behaviour, and an increasing number of children struggling socially and emotionally. Faced with long waiting lists for external services and a lack of knowledge around emotional wellbeing among staff, Head of School, Andy Done, decided to explore the benefits of Thrive.

Find out more

Barking and Dagenham primary is named a School of Excellence for mental health

Barking and Dagenham primary is named a School of Excellence for mental health

7th November 2023

Rose Lane Primary School has held a celebration of mental health which was attended by pupils, staff, governors and senior local authority staff to mark its achievement in becoming a Thrive School of Excellence.   

Find out more

Essex education service that is the 'last hope' for many children is named a School of Excellence

Essex education service that is the 'last hope' for many children is named a School of Excellence

7th September 2023

 A specialist education service which works with the most vulnerable children and young people in Essex and Suffolk has been named a School of Excellence for the role it plays in supporting the mental health of its pupils.   

Find out more

Life-changing setting is named a School of Excellence

Life-changing setting is named a School of Excellence

25th July 2023

St Wilfrid’s Academy, part of Delta Academies Trust, has held a celebration of mental wellbeing which was attended by pupils, teachers and local councillors to mark its achievement in becoming a Thrive School of Excellence.     

Find out more

Attainment has improved and behavioural incidents have halved at award-winning Welsh special school

Attainment has improved and behavioural incidents have halved at award-winning Welsh special school

11th July 2023

Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn has held a celebration of mental health which was attended by the Lord Mayor of Swansea Cllr Graham Thomas, Mike Hedges MS for Swansea East and senior local authority members to mark its achievement in becoming a Thrive School of Excellence.   

Find out more

Thrive saves money on staff costs and improves behaviour and attainment

Thrive saves money on staff costs and improves behaviour and attainment

6th July 2023

Read how Thomas Arnold Primary School, in Dagenham, have seen behaviour and attainment improve - while staff costs have fallen in relation to coping with disrupted lessons and problems with behaviour.

Find out more

Thrive School of Excellence equips students with the skills to move forward in life

Thrive School of Excellence equips students with the skills to move forward in life

26th June 2023

 Wessex Lodge School has been named a Thrive School of Excellence for mental health.  

Find out more

School refusal rates down, staff retention rates up at Thrive School of Excellence

School refusal rates down, staff retention rates up at Thrive School of Excellence

19th June 2023

Lainesmead Primary School and Nursery has held a celebration of mental wellbeing which was attended by children, senior local authority staff and councillors as well as South Swindon MP Sir Robert Buckland to mark its achievement in becoming a Thrive® School of Excellence.     

Find out more

  Northampton special school celebrates being named a School of Excellence for Mental Health

Northampton special school celebrates being named a School of Excellence for Mental Health

13th June 2023

A celebration of mental wellbeing has been held at an inspirational Northampton special school to mark it becoming a Thrive School of Excellence.

Find out more

Worcestershire primary school shares the secrets of its wellbeing success

Worcestershire primary school shares the secrets of its wellbeing success

23rd May 2023

A celebration of mental wellbeing has been held at an inspirational Worcestershire setting to mark its achievement in becoming a Thrive School of Excellence.

Find out more

‘Helping children to learn effectively and teaching skills that will be with them for life’

‘Helping children to learn effectively and teaching skills that will be with them for life’

30th March 2023

Croydon-based Meridian High School, which is part of the GLF Schools Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), has held a celebration event after being named a Thrive School of Excellence for mental wellbeing. 

Find out more

Bedfordshire nursery is the first in the UK to become an Ambassador School for mental health

Bedfordshire nursery is the first in the UK to become an Ambassador School for mental health

3rd January 2023

Rothesay Nursery School, in Bedfordshire, has become the first in the UK to be named an Ambassador School for mental health and wellbeing.

Find out more

Worcestershire school praised by Ofsted for its use of the Thrive Approach

Worcestershire school praised by Ofsted for its use of the Thrive Approach

10th November 2022

Hagley Primary School has been named as a School of Excellence and praised by Ofsted for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils.

Find out more

Praise from Ofsted for Thrive School of Excellence

Praise from Ofsted for Thrive School of Excellence

11th October 2022

Voyage Learning Campus has been named as a School of Excellence and praised by Ofsted for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to build resilience and help prevent mental health issues.  

Find out more

How Thrive transformed this primary school from ‘inadequate’ to a setting with 100% parent approval

How Thrive transformed this primary school from ‘inadequate’ to a setting with 100% parent approval

5th July 2022

A Cornish primary school which was failing when its headteacher first took up his post has been named as a Thrive School of Excellence for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to help prevent mental health issues. 

Find out more

Kent specialist setting named as Thrive School of Excellence

Kent specialist setting named as Thrive School of Excellence

2nd December 2021

A specialist setting has become the first in Kent to be named a Thrive School of Excellence for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to help prevent mental health i...

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Cardiff Headteacher

Cardiff Headteacher "honoured to be recognised" for prioritising mental health

26th July 2021

A Cardiff primary school has been named as the first Thrive School of Excellence in the city for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to support their mental health an...

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Cornish primary school first in England to be crowned as wellbeing School of Excellence

Cornish primary school first in England to be crowned as wellbeing School of Excellence

11th February 2021

Gulval School named as a School of Excellence for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils

Find out more

UK's first Thrive School of Excellence heralds from Aberdare

UK's first Thrive School of Excellence heralds from Aberdare

5th February 2021

A South Wales primary school has been named as the first Thrive School of Excellence in the UK for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to prevent mental health issues...

Find out more

Hard work validated by Ambassador School status

Hard work validated by Ambassador School status

12th October 2020

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...

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"Ready to learn and achieve potential" at Dagenham's Hunters Hall

1st October 2020

Hunters Hall Primary School, based in Dagenham, has been named as an Ambassador School with Excellence in the Environment after going through a rigorous assessment process by Thrive®, which trains te...

Find out more

 

Thrive Ambassador Schools

Schools and settings can apply to become a 'Thrive Ambassador School' in one or more of the following five areas: Leadership, Right-time, Reparative, Relationship and Environment.  Here are some of our amazing Thrive Ambassador Schools.

We’ve just become an Ambassador School with Excellence in Environment – here’s how we made our school a nurturing, calm space

We’ve just become an Ambassador School with Excellence in Environment – here’s how we made our school a nurturing, calm space

16th November 2023

When Heartwood CE VC Primary and Nursery School became a Thrive Ambassador School with Excellence in Environment, assessors commented that the school had wowed them with their approach to creating a nurturing, calming place for children to learn. Read on to find out Heartwood's top tips.

Find out more

How I introduced Thrive at a new setting – which went on to be rated Outstanding in its first year

How I introduced Thrive at a new setting – which went on to be rated Outstanding in its first year

19th September 2023

Leah Roberts, Family, Inclusion and Wellbeing Coordinator at Dovecote School, in Somerset, explains the steps they took to effectively embed Thrive into a brand new setting.

Find out more

New Somerset special school wins a hat trick of accolades

New Somerset special school wins a hat trick of accolades

24th July 2023

Dovecote School, based at Shapwick, near Bridgwater, which has been open for less than a year, has been judged as Outstanding by Ofsted and won two awards for its focus on mental wellbeing.   

Find out more

‘Our children say how they feel so we can resolve problems before they occur’

‘Our children say how they feel so we can resolve problems before they occur’

2nd March 2023

Read how the Thrive Approach has helped this London school to occupy a unique place at the heart of its community

Find out more

Bedfordshire nursery is the first in the UK to become an Ambassador School for mental health

Bedfordshire nursery is the first in the UK to become an Ambassador School for mental health

3rd January 2023

Rothesay Nursery School, in Bedfordshire, has become the first in the UK to be named an Ambassador School for mental health and wellbeing.

Find out more

Training that unpicked the neuroscience behind behaviour – how Thrive has made a difference to this nursery school 

Training that unpicked the neuroscience behind behaviour – how Thrive has made a difference to this nursery school 

15th December 2022

Read how the Thrive Approach has helped this nursery to be praised by Ofsted for its calm environment

Find out more

How emotional regulation helped to unlock our students' attainment

How emotional regulation helped to unlock our students' attainment

12th December 2022

In this 2 minute video case study, Ruth Minhall, Executive Head of Tuition Extra, explains how embedding Thrive has helped it to remove barriers to students' learning, resulting in a 95% pass rate for GCSEs

Find out more

Why a whole school approach to mental health is needed

Why a whole school approach to mental health is needed

15th November 2022

A Thrive Licensed Practitioner explains how a whole school approach to mental health is helping pupils to manage the impact of the pandemic at her London primary school

Find out more

Worcestershire school praised by Ofsted for its use of the Thrive Approach

Worcestershire school praised by Ofsted for its use of the Thrive Approach

10th November 2022

Hagley Primary School has been named as a School of Excellence and praised by Ofsted for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils.

Find out more

#ThriveImpact - 'Relationships are key to resilience'

#ThriveImpact - 'Relationships are key to resilience'

13th October 2022

Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy has been recognised as an Ambassador School by Thrive for its support of pupils' emotional health and wellbeing.

Find out more

Praise from Ofsted for Thrive School of Excellence

Praise from Ofsted for Thrive School of Excellence

11th October 2022

Voyage Learning Campus has been named as a School of Excellence and praised by Ofsted for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to build resilience and help prevent mental health issues.  

Find out more

Reduced exclusions and increased attendance at Elland Academy

Reduced exclusions and increased attendance at Elland Academy

26th May 2022

The Elland Academy has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School with three areas of expertise for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils. The school has seen reduced exclusions and increased attendance as a result.

Find out more

'Deep-rooted commitment' yields recognition in Powys

'Deep-rooted commitment' yields recognition in Powys

22nd November 2021

A Powys primary school has been named as a Thrive® Ambassador School with two areas of expertise for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils, helping to prevent mental healt...

Find out more

Not one but two! Hampshire's Endeavour Primary School scoops second award

Not one but two! Hampshire's Endeavour Primary School scoops second award

11th October 2021

An Andover school has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School for a second time, highlighting another area of expertise in the role it plays supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order t...

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Pupil referral unit recognised for pupils' wellbeing focus

Pupil referral unit recognised for pupils' wellbeing focus

7th October 2021

A North Somerset school has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to support their social and emotional development Voy...

Find out more

Second award for Romford primary as staff celebrate

Second award for Romford primary as staff celebrate "positive impact" of Thrive

11th August 2021

A Romford primary school has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School with a second area of expertise for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils, helping to prevent m...

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Pupils

Pupils "calm and ready to learn" as Regency High crowned Ambassador

2nd August 2021

A Worcester special school has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to prevent mental health issues.  Regency High...

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The Thrive Ambassador School Scheme recognises Somerset primary pledge

The Thrive Ambassador School Scheme recognises Somerset primary pledge

20th July 2021

A North Somerset primary school has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to prevent mental health issues. St And...

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Lowestoft school gratified to witness the direct impact of embedding Thrive

Lowestoft school gratified to witness the direct impact of embedding Thrive

18th June 2021

A Lowestoft primary school has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School with two areas of expertise for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to prevent mental health...

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"Understanding pupils' core needs" brings recognition for Newham school

15th June 2021

Kaizen Primary School has been named as the first Thrive Ambassador School in Newham for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils in order to prevent mental health issues. The...

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Assistant Headteacher of Hillcroft Primary overwhelmed to learn of award

Assistant Headteacher of Hillcroft Primary overwhelmed to learn of award

15th June 2021

Surrey primary school wins awards for its focus on pupils' mental wellbeing A school in Caterham, Surrey, has been named as a thrive ambassador school with two areas of expertise for the role it play...

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Griffins Schools Trust school named as Thrive Ambassador School

Griffins Schools Trust school named as Thrive Ambassador School

27th May 2021

A Worcester primary school has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School with four areas of expertise for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils, helping to prevent ment...

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Success in 4 categories for Llanharan Primary school

Success in 4 categories for Llanharan Primary school

22nd March 2021

A Rhondda Cynon Taf primary school has been named as a Thrive Ambassador School with four areas of expertise for the role it plays in supporting the wellbeing of its pupils, helping to

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Pupils now

Pupils now "better able to learn" as Cardiff primary scoops double award

9th March 2021

Cardiff Primary School wins double award for its focus on pupils' mental wellbeing Thrive's Ambassador Schools scheme has been launched as a way of recognising excellence in the way schools use Thr...

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