Children cannot always put their needs into words, but the way children behave can tell us a lot about how they are feeling. In the old days children who were finding life hard were sometimes given harmful labels, like ‘naughty’ or ‘very shy’.

The Thrive Approach draws on the latest research -from current neuroscience, recent attachment research, current studies of effective learning and current models of child development – in order to help the school to understand the needs being signalled by children’s behaviour. It gives us targeted strategies and activities to help them re-engage with learning and life.

Unfortunately, like all of us at some point in our lives, children may face challenges that knock them off course. What is needed then is understanding and support to get them back on track. Many children will respond to the care, understanding and support given by parents, family, friends and teachers. However, some children need a little bit extra.

Children who need a little bit of extra help are identified through our whole-class screening process, by class teachers, or through communication with families or outside agencies. For some children there may be an obvious reason why they need a bit of extra support. This might be bereavement, family break down or an identified medical condition such as ADHD. For others, there can be no obvious trigger to why they are finding some aspects of school and/or home life difficult.

Working closely with parents and class teachers, our Thrive team carry out full assessments of identified children’s social, emotional and behavioural needs. This helps us to build a bespoke Thrive Action Plan of activities to support their needs.

A Thrive Action Plan is plan of activities tailored to support a child’s identified social and emotional learning targets. The activities are one-to-one and small group relational, play and arts-based activities designed to help the child feel better about himself; become more resilient and resourceful; form trusting, rewarding relationships; be compassionate and empathetic; and/or be able to overcome difficulties and setbacks. They might include playing in the sand, cooking, painting, model making, exploring difficult situations through role-play or comic strips, playing strategy games or projects focusing on the child’s own interests.

Where appropriate, action plans are shared with parents and they are encouraged carry out some of the activities at home if possible. They are reviewed regularly to see the progress children have made.

For many children across the school, Thrive time is considered a real treat! However, we try to emphasis to everyone that Thrive is just like any other learning intervention. If children struggle with reading, we give them extra support, and it’s the same with social and emotional learning, if they are struggling, they get extra support.

Everyone gets class Thrive activities (although they might not realise it); most art, sport or Forest School activities are taught within the Thrive Approach. But if your child needs regular out of class Thrive time, one-to-one or in a small group, you will be informed and if necessary asked for your input into their assessment and Action Plan.

Small group and 1 to 1 Thrive sessions are delivered by our licenced practitioners. 

At Dallimore we don’t consider Thrive to be an intervention for just a few children done in the Thrive Room, we consider it to be a whole-school approach. We all believe that all behaviour is communication, that that communication needs to be understood and supported – not “dealt with”. Thrive feeds into everything we do; celebration assemblies, getting to know everyone and their families, sharing all achievements not just academic ones, celebrating our diversity and our collective spirit.