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
- 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.
- You then need to complete a short self-assessment form, available in the Members Area
- 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.
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Drapers’ Maylands: A school founded on Thrive
4th July 2025
Discover how Drapers' Maylands Primary School placed emotional wellbeing at the heart of its culture from day one. Serving a community with high levels of need, the school has created a calm, focused and inclusive environment where children are thriving. Plus, to recognise its impact on pupils' mental health and wellbeing, Maylands has been recognised as a Thrive School of Excellence.
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Barnham CEVC Primary School: Embedding a consistent approach to behaviour and wellbeing
25th February 2025
Faced with challenges in ensuring a consistent approach to supporting emotional wellbeing, Barnham CEVC Primary School introduced Thrive. Now a School of Excellence, Barnham has seen measurable success in both academic and emotional development. Staff feel empowered to prioritise children’s mental health and wellbeing across all areas of school life and have a consistent approach to managing behaviour.
Woodend Farm School: An inclusive approach to wellbeing and learning
11th February 2025
Woodend Farm School is an independent special school in Essex. In just over a year, the school has been recognised as a Thrive School of Excellence for its commitment to supporting pupils’ social and emotional development and for creating an inclusive environment where young people feel safe, supported and ready to learn.
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Churchward School: “Academic achievement and emotional wellbeing go hand in hand”
21st January 2025
Churchward School, part of Brunel Academies Trust, is a unique special free school in Swindon supporting young people aged 11-19 years with autism and associated social communication difficulties. Now a Thrive School of Excellence, Churchward School has seen significant improvements in students’ emotional wellbeing and social development, creating firm foundations for academic success.
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West Lancashire Community High School: How Thrive’s consistent approach boosts wellbeing and attendance
15th January 2025
Discover how West Lancashire Community High School improved wellbeing, attendance, and emotional resilience with Thrive’s consistent approach.
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Bentley New Village Primary School: How a new approach reduced suspensions by 80%
4th November 2024
Since introducing Thrive, Bentley New Village has seen an 80% reduction in fixed-term suspensions, children are happier and more engaged, and attendance and attainment have improved.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
‘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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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.
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...
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...
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
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...
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...
"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...
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
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.
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.
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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.
‘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
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.
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Shaping children's futures: The power of Thrive in the Early Years
15th December 2022
In this case study, Deputy Headteacher and SENCO Elizabeth Leer shares Rothesay’s Thrive journey, explaining how it has helped staff support children’s emotional wellbeing and create a calm learning environment.
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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
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
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.
#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.
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.
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.
'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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
"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...
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...
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...
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
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...