West Lancashire Community High School is a special provision supporting 11-19-year-olds with learning difficulties. Following the pandemic, the school was faced with an increasing number of young people struggling socially and emotionally, and more families were in need of support.
After exploring the options, Thrive emerged as an ideal match for the school’s approach to pastoral care, and aligned with their existing practice applying the principles of Team Teach and ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences).
Now a Thrive School of Excellence, West Lancashire Community High School is a place where pupils want to be, where they feel safe and know they can get the support they need. This is reflected in the school’s attendance data, which has been consistently above national average. The school has also maintained a 0% exclusion rate since Thrive has been implemented.
100% staff engagement
West Lancashire Community High School decided to take a measured approach to embedding Thrive. Staff were given over two terms’ notice before full implementation, during which three key members of staff trained as Thrive Licensed Practitioners. By the time Thrive was launched as a whole school approach, these practitioners were fully trained, well-prepared and eager to support their colleagues, which resulted in strong engagement from the team.
The school also used key events throughout the year as a platform to share Thrive with parents and carers and keep them informed on progress.
Consistency is key
Since implementing Thrive, West Lancashire Community High School has achieved consistency in its routines and language, which has strengthened the support across the school.
The impact of the Thrive Approach is evident in pupils’ understanding of their emotions, their ability to manage stress, cope with anxieties and be more independent. For example, one pupil dealing with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) progressed from 0% attendance to over 50%, including 100% attendance on his personalised timetable.
The school’s attendance rates also reflect Thrive’s effectiveness, with last year’s 88.8% exceeding the national average of 87%. Attendance has since risen to 91.2%, signalling that pupils feel emotionally safe and supported at school.
Thrive School of Excellence
To recognise the extraordinary impact West Lancashire Community High School is having on its pupils and the wider community, the school has been named as a Thrive School of Excellence. The award is the highest level of achievement in Thrive’s Ambassador School scheme, which shines a light on settings showcasing outstanding mental health and wellbeing support.
Lee Fazackerley, Headteacher at the High School, said: “It’s fantastic to see the significant impact of Thrive in our school and local community in such a relatively short space of time. We’re proud of our partnership with Thrive and how it has really brought the school together and focused our work and development towards becoming a centre of excellence.”
“If you’re on the fence about whether Thrive is right for your school, come and visit us and see it in action for yourself.”, he added.
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