Thrive

Thrive at Dobcroft Junior School

Our Thrive Vision

At DJS, we believe that school should be a place of compassion and understanding. Positive relationships are fundamental for all our young people to feel safe enough to take the learning risks needed to reach their social, emotional and academic potential. 

Please see our Relationship Policy or Wellbeing Strategy for further details on how we embed this concept into every aspect of school life. 

Some key members of the Thrive team who offer a strategic overview and specialist interventions are listed below:

Sheree Doyle (Deputy Head) is a Trauma Informed Mental Health Practitioner

Jenny Winters (Cornerstone Teacher, PD and Thrive Wave 1 lead) is a Trauma Informed Mental Health Practitioner.

Hayley Little (SENDCo) is Thrive Wave 2 and 3 lead.

Louise Fear (Pastoral Lead) is a Lead Thrive Practitioner and Pastoral lead.

What is Thrive?

Thrive is a national evidence-based organisation which uses neuroscience (how the brain develops) and attachment theory (how connected children feel to those around them) to explain how children process the world. Our status as a Thrive School provides DJS with an online platform to evaluate the social and emotional milestones of every pupil. It is a whole school approach.

Just like any stage of learning, children develop at their own pace. Sometimes children may need to revisit or over learn a key developmental stage to fully flourish. Gaps or delays occur for a variety of reasons and may impact social, emotional or academic potential if left unrecognised. 

How do we assess Thrive developmental milestones? 

Twice a year, class teachers use an online profiling and assessment system to review all children’s’ progress against Thrive developmental milestones. This enables the Thrive team to determine what layers of support are required for both whole classes and individual children.

How do we use Thrive to support our children?

What is Thrive Wave 1? 

Thrive Wave 1 is whole school approach that is built into practice throughout the school day. Teachers work incredibly hard to create psychologically safe classrooms (see our Wave 1 Teacher Guidance and Relationship Policy). 

Class teachers use Thrive twice annually profiling alongside their own observations to create a whole class target that the children will work on throughout all aspects of the school day such as afternoon structured breaks, group activities in lessons and Personal Development lessons.  

Thrive Class Targets are on display in each classroom. Individual needs within the classroom are carefully considered and the teacher creates a record of children who benefit from slight adjustments to help them feel safe and regulated. This information is kept privately but is available for all members of staff to access. Examples might be a child having a special job to help with transitions or extra wellbeing check ins after breaktime. Recording this provision for all staff to access helps ensure consistent, relational experiences – our aim is to be meet needs as consistently as possible. This provision is regularly reviewed and children may be moved on and off this list at any point during the year. 

Who is the Thrive Wave 1 Lead? Cornerstone Teacher, Jenny Winters

As a Trauma Informed Mental Health Practitioner, Mrs Winters has an overview of all Thrive Wave 1 targets in each classroom. She can provide general and specific guidance for teachers and support staff. This includes staff training, visiting classrooms, gathering pupil and staff voice, resource sharing and supporting the pastoral referral process. As Cornerstone Teacher, Mrs Winters can also offer some practical advice on teaching and learning for more complex learners. 

Support for teachers may include:

• Ideas on how to increase the protective factors in the classroom (activities that help combat stress in children) 
• Ideas on how to up ‘safety cues’ in the classroom (practical suggestions for classroom practice)
• Help for staff to think psychologically about pupils (what unmet need sits underneath behaviour)
• How to respond to challenging behaviour in the classroom
• How to spot children who are not regulated. 
• How to support regulation and help children to advocate for themselves
• How to relate to children in ways that enable them to trust.
• The brain science and psychological research on child mental health problems and their impact.
• What specific children need in their relationships with adults

What is Thrive Wave 2?

Using the data from the Thrive profiling assessments and their wider knowledge of the children Ms Little (SENDCo) and Mrs Fear (Pastoral Lead) select Thrive Wave 2 focus groups. These will be the children who staff feel would benefit the most from extra exposure to certain skills / environments. Children are grouped together according to either their age or their developmental needs.

Weekly Thrive sessions contain approximately 6 children and sessions are tailored to meet the groups’ specific needs. 

Thrive Wave 2 - what do the sessions look like? 

Wave 2 sessions run every afternoon. They are a fun and playful way to support children to revisit key developmental strands. Sessions are held by consistent, emotionally available adults who offer a careful mix of structure and free play. However, these play experiences are chosen carefully in order to support the children to practice specific skills.

Sessions might include –

• Playing games (taking turns, taking risks, resilience, social communication)
• Sensory play (regulation skills, understanding their own sensory needs)
• Role play (social communication, practicing social situations)
• Problem solving tasks (turn taking, social communication, resilience, overcoming difficulties)

What is Thrive Wave 3? 

Some children are best suited to Thrive Wave 3 provision which provides 1:1 adult support. The priority of Wave 3 support is to build safe and trusting relationships in order to work towards wider goals around regulation, emotional wellbeing and self-advocacy. Thrive Wave 3 provision may be ongoing throughout the day and may not be limited to timetabled sessions. The aim is always for the child to move into a Wave 2 Thrive group, where they can build these skills alongside peers.

How will I know if my child is receiving Wave 2 or 3 tailored Thrive support?

If your child has been selected to receive Thrive Wave 2 or 3 provision, Ms Little and Mrs Fear will be in touch. Permission is always sought from parents/ carers before children the start of sessions.

Further communication

Class teachers will always share with parents any particular updates about a child's social or emotional wellbeing. If they feel that an area requires a small tweak to support this would usually be mentioned at a formal meeting, such as parents evening and recorded as part of end of year report. However, teachers or support staff will always contact parents immediately if they notice any big differences in behaviour / mood or if there appears to be a barrier to learning or wellbeing. 

If you have any concerns about your child - socially or emotionally or if you want to share some information about home life that you feel may impact a child's wellbeing, then your first port of call is the class teacher. 

Teachers will always seek support from the wider team, if needed. Please contact teachers via Dojo or school email: enquiries@dobcroft-jun.sheffield.sch.uk 

We highly value parent voice and recognise that you are your child's expert. Please do not hesitate to share concerns, queries or information about homelife that you feel may be significant.  

Together we make a difference.