"Understanding pupils' core needs" brings recognition for Newham school

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 school, part of the family of schools within the Eko Trust, in Elkington Road, has 434 pupils and has been described as a 'hidden gem' of its community because of its two acres of outdoor space including a pond, wildlife and forest school areas and a covered yoga corner. It is rated by Ofsted as an Outstanding school.

The setting has now also been named as an Ambassador School with Excellence in the Environment after going through a rigorous assessment process by Thrive®, which trains teachers and other education professionals to support the emotional and social development of all children. The award recognises extraordinary schools which are making a positive impact on their pupils and on the wider community by having a focus on emotional wellbeing and creating an environment in which children's wellbeing thrives.

Headteacher Barbara Sims said: "We're really excited to achieve Ambassador School status - it's something we've been on a real journey with and it's wonderful to see the progress we've made. Thrive has helped us to understand our pupils' core needs and to better support them and their families. If children don't feel happy, safe and secure then they are not going to learn. Thrive has helped us to create those conditions for all our pupils."

The Thrive Ambassador Schools scheme has been launched as a way of recognising excellence in member schools. There are five areas in which schools can evidence how they use Thrive to support children's social and emotional development: environment, leadership, right-time, reparative and relationship, with a special Ambassador School of Excellence Award for schools that achieve the highest standard across all five categories.

As well as submitting an in-depth application form, the school was visited by Thrive staff, in line with coronavirus restrictions, to observe and assess the way that teachers and other staff implement the Thrive Approach® to help build the emotional resilience of children, so that they can better manage the ups and downs of life and be more open to learning.

"Kaizen Primary School is a fantastic example of a school which has placed mental wellbeing at the heart of everything it does and I know that staff there have worked incredibly hard to embed the Thrive Approach and to create a whole-school culture of wellbeing that means pupils feel calm, emotionally-regulated and ready to learn," said Alistair Dewar, Thrive Relationship Manager for London.

Over to you

Are you leading the way in developing happy, emotionally-resilient children or young people? Are you feeling the impact of embedding the Thrive Approach throughout your setting? You too may be eligible for Thrive Ambassador School status. Click here to find out how to apply.