The Thrive Approach – What Worked for Us

By Key Stage 2, a child who was never rocked, never did messy play and never learned to handle frustration can look like a behaviour problem. Often it's an emotional gap, and until it's met they aren't ready to learn.

The Thrive Approach gives you a way to find those gaps and work on them. Whole-class assessments tell you what to cover in PSHE. Children with the biggest gaps get short one-to-one sessions built on play, with an adult who stays calm alongside them and wonders aloud rather than firing questions. It all comes from a junior school where it's now part of every week.

You'll also get simple activities to try, such as kinetic sand made with flour and baby oil, and memory jars for children who've been bereaved. And if you're the only one keen on Thrive in your school, there's advice on getting started.