The Thrive Approach
Why Thrive?
Thrive is designed to support children’s emotional well-being and social skills — important foundations for learning. It’s based on the latest research into brain science and child development and helps staff tailor their support to meet the individual needs of each child, helping to boost confidence, behaviour, and overall well-being.
The process starts with a simple screening, where teachers answer questions about your child to identify ways we can help them thrive in school. The results guide us in offering the right activities and strategies to support their emotional development. You can learn more about Thrive at www.thriveapproach.com.
The Thrive Approach is grounded in established theories of child development, attachment, neuroscience, and the importance of creativity and play. It integrates these research areas to support children's emotional and social well-being, helping them develop resilience, self-regulation, and confidence in learning.
Child Development Theory
Thrive aligns with child development milestones, ensuring that emotional and social needs are met at each stage of growth. It recognizes that children progress at different rates and that early experiences shape their ability to form relationships, manage emotions, and engage in learning.
Attachment Theory
Thrive is heavily influenced by John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory, which emphasizes the importance of secure relationships in early life. The programme supports children in developing strong, trusting connections with adults, which in turn helps them feel safe, valued, and ready to learn. If early attachments have been disrupted, Thrive provides structured support to rebuild security and trust.
Neuroscience
Modern neuroscience highlights the connection between emotional well-being and brain development. The Thrive Approach draws on research showing how stress and trauma can impact brain function, particularly in areas responsible for emotional regulation, decision-making, and learning. By providing supportive, nurturing experiences, Thrive helps children develop neural pathways that support resilience and emotional balance.
Creativity and Play
Research into creativity and play underscores their role in emotional development and learning. Thrive uses arts, sensory activities, roleplay, and imaginative exploration to help children express their emotions, process experiences, and build problem-solving skills in a safe and engaging way. Play-based learning fosters connections between emotions and cognition, supporting both well-being and academic progress.
Who Can Benefit from Thrive?
At HNPS, every child benefits from the Thrive Approach as part of our whole-school commitment to emotional well-being and development.
Universal Support
Most children thrive with our universal provision, which includes assemblies, PSHE lessons, class discussions, Zones of Regulation, and activities informed by whole-class Thrive assessments.
Each term, classes are assessed against age-related criteria, allowing teachers to identify emerging needs and develop a targeted action plan. This ensures that all pupils can work together towards shared well-being goals.
Additional Support
Some children may require extra guidance, as identified by their class teacher. This support is provided through small group interventions focused on areas such as:
- Social skills
- Emotional understanding and regulation
- Managing anxieties
These sessions are led by trained teaching assistants and Thrive Practitioners, offering a safe and structured environment for children to develop essential emotional skills.
Individualised Support
A small number of children may benefit from a more personalised approach, receiving one-on-one sessions with a Thrive Practitioner. These weekly sessions may include:
- Arts and crafts
- Sensory play
- Games and challenges
- Relaxation techniques
- Emotion identification and regulation through play
- Roleplay
- Open discussions
These activities are designed to meet each child's individual needs, helping them build positive, trusting relationships and express their emotions in a healthy way.
Without the right strategies, children can experience sadness, anger, frustration, fear, or loneliness, which may sometimes manifest as disruptive behavior. Since we recognise that all behaviour is a form of communication, Thrive sessions help children understand and regulate their emotions. By providing them with the tools to navigate challenges, we empower them to feel emotionally secure, build confidence, and engage more positively in their learning.
Who are the Thrive Practitioners at HNPS?
Rebecca Lynch - Thrive Lead
Maria Muñoz - Thrive Practitioner