At Usk CiW Primary School, we embraced the Thrive Approach some time ago to support all children’s emotional and social learning throughout their school day.

What is the Thrive Approach?

Children cannot always put their needs into words, but the way children behave can tell us a lot about how they are feeling. 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. This helps 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.

Why do we need Thrive? 

Like all of us at some point in our lives, children may face challenges that knock them off course. What is needed 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 to enable them to:

• Feel good about themselves
• Know that they matter
• Become more resilient and resourceful
• Have a positive place in society
• Form trusting, rewarding relationships
• Be creative
• Be compassionate and empathetic
• Be thoughtful and self-aware
• Be productive
• Be able to overcome difficulties and setbacks

What makes our school Thrive? 

We don’t consider Thrive to be an intervention for just a few children, we consider it to be a whole-school approach. We believe that all behaviour is communication and that communication needs to be understood and supported. Thrive feeds into everything we do; assemblies, getting to know everyone and their families, sharing all levels of achievements, celebrating our diversity, play-times and of course learning time.

How can Thrive help at this time?

With the disruption to routines, worries about health and the loss of physical contact with friends, family and support networks, we believe that children and young people need the Thrive Approach now, more than ever. Thrive weekly activity schedules can be found below to support families at home. The different resources and tips are helpful to keep children entertained in a challenging, creative and safe way. This is an amazing source of inspiration and support for parents who, we know, are working hard to keep children happy, healthy and engaged with life during this challenging time.

General well being advice about having to stay in for you and your children:

https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/looking-after-your-mental-health-while-self-isolating/

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips/

https://www.home-start.org.uk/activities-for-families    

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/joinin/seven-techniques-for-helping-kids-keep-calm