The latest episode of Thrive’s Connected podcast is celebrating National Bullying Prevention Month. In this episode, we’re joined by Jo Warner, Assistant Director of Education on the Joint Education Team of the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Boards of Education. Jo talks about the guidance that church schools receive around bullying and how the 106 schools she works with put this into practice.

Listen to the 9-minute podcast to discover: 

•       An outline of the Church of England guidance for schools, Valuing All God’s Children and how this relates to the protected characteristics (of the Equality Act) and to bullying in a broader sense
•            Why relationships are crucial when it comes to creating an anti-bullying culture and why staff need to model positive relationships
•            How Thrive has changed Jo’s practice as an education professional
•       Why wellbeing needs to be a curriculum-wide approach, rather than staying confined to PHSE lessons

The latest episode of Thrive’s Connected podcast is celebrating National Bullying Prevention Month. In this episode, we’re joined by Beryce Nixon, CEO of the Exceed Learning Partnership, who explains how her MAT creates an anti-bullying culture across its settings. As well as discussing how the curriculum plays an important role in creating this culture, Beryce also explains how a MAT-wide approach can support schools, while still giving the freedom to respond to the needs of their own communities. 

Listen to the 21-minute podcast to discover: 

• Why MATs need to take a preventative approach to bullying rather than simply tackling incidents as they arise 

• How this culture can be created and embedded across a MAT so that it is truly effective 

• The role of curriculum design and how this can bring the idea of difference into everyday conversations for children and young people 

• How Thrive-Online helps the Exceed Learning Partnership to understand the individual needs of all pupils 

In this episode, we’re looking at attendance with Jayne Lowe, OBE, an education consultation and Department for Education adviser. Jayne is the founder and managing director of Bright Green Learning and started her career as a teacher before becoming a headteacher and behaviour and attendance consultant working with primary, secondary and special schools as well as local authorities. 

Jayne shares the latest data relating to attendance and looks at reasons behind current trends. She also puts forward some practical suggestions for what classroom staff and senior leaders can do to help improve attendance in their settings. 

Listen in to learn: 

• How to identify and remove barriers that may be making it difficult for children to attend 
• The importance of communicating, repeatedly, to staff and students what good attendance looks like 
• The power of welcomes – and how to welcome a young person back to school   
• How and why to use rewards 
• The importance of a whole school approach to attendance 

In this episode, we feature Thrive® Licensed Practitioner, Dawn Wheeldon, Behaviour Manager at Conyers School, in Stockton-on-Tees. Dawn and her colleagues decided to take a different approach to transition this year by working with a group of pupils who were identified as being likely to struggle with the transition to secondary school. Dawn reveals the simple strategies she implemented and explains the striking results they have had. 

Listen in to discover:  

• Why focusing on a core group of pupils is key – and how to identify them 
• Which activities work best to help pupils prepare for transition 
• Simple strategies to get buy in from parents and to build a positive relationship with them before term starts 
• How you can involve older pupils by creating successful buddy schemes  

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In this episode, Thrive’s Head of Innovation and Principal Trainer Viv Trask-Hall is joined by Child Bereavement UK’s Education Development Officer Rebecca Haycock to discuss how educators can support children and young people who may be showing signs of grief following the death of the Queen.

Listen in to learn:

• How to respond to questions that young people may ask
• Why the death of a high-profile person can be a trigger for previous bereavements
• How adults can support children and young people while managing their own grief
• How to approach ‘difficult’ conversations

In this episode, Thrive’s Managing Director, Anna Smee, considers the recent Times Education Commission’s report which calls for a ‘radical reset’ of our education system. Anna, who was previously CEO of the Youth Futures Foundation before joining Thrive earlier this year, considers the proposals the report makes around wellbeing – including a shift in emphasis towards prevention rather than cure and that teachers should be better-supported with annual training around mental health. 

In this episode, Thrive’s Strategic Lead and Trainer Kay Hamilton talks about how to improve mental wellbeing in your school quickly and effectively using existing resources and communication channels to avoid adding to the workload of classroom staff.

Listen to learn:

• How to identify opportunities to teach mental wellbeing skills and awareness
• Why focusing on improving children’s mental wellbeing will lead to improved outcomes including behaviour, attainment and attendance
• Questions you should ask yourself before embarking on mental health training
• The role of senior leaders – how to differentiate between strategy and implementation for effective outcomes

Listen in to discover:

• Tips to change your school’s mindset around inspections
• Why schools need to put the same emphasis on wellbeing as they do on traditional, academic subjects
• The importance of communicating wellbeing practice across the school community – including governors, families and support staff
• Why context is key for an inspector
• Why student voice is one of the most effective ways to evidence impact

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From Stephen Fry and suicide prevention to time-management skills and outdated PHSE, teenagers Conor and Bridie shine a light on the impetus for creating their mental health platform, Spark UK, and the content void they are working to fill.

Listen in to discover:

• Why anger fuelled a desire to curate mental health resources for young people
• The unexpected challenges facing teenagers today
• The ongoing stigma surrounding mental health – and where they feel society is in terms of a shift
• How to navigate school Wi-Fi alongside GCSEs and an impromptu live interview on Sky News!
• The importance of instilling self-care acts from a young age
• What’s next for Spark UK as an authority on young people’s mental health

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Emotional Based School Avoidance is a term used to describe children and young people who experience challenges in attending school due to negative feelings such as anxiety. In this episode, Dom Sagar, Thrive’s Relationship Manager for the North and Central England, explains that this is usually associated with emotional and physical distress and a reluctance to attend school or absconding from lessons within the settings - leading to reduced attendance.   The BBC reported last year that there is a ‘tsunami’ of cases of EBSA, in many cases exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, with many parents and teachers struggling to support children.

Listen in to discover:

• The early signs of Emotional Based School Avoidance
• ‘In the moment’ strategies to tackle EBSA in your setting
• The neuroscience behind a student’s dysregulation
• How to support and steady your students for learning
• The importance of celebrating small wins on a daily basis
• Actionable insights to prevent school anxiety taking hold in the first place

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Prepare to be inspired by this simple yet effective initiative designed to help children understand their emotions and how they impact behaviour. The brainchild of Maple Cross School in Hertfordshire (where a high percentage of pupil premium children and behavioural needs are evident) Mapping my Emotions has contributed to a 50% reduction in all escalated incidents and an increased level of insight and empathy across the school community.

Listen in to discover:

• Why Mapping my Emotions was needed in the first place
• How this non-confrontational tool works to empower children to self-regulate and express themselves clearly
• The 3 Es at the heart of Maple Cross’s powerful approach
• The steps taken at launch to enhance the bond between teachers and pupils
• How the tool is adapted for Early Years, KS1 and KS2 students

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 In this episode, we focus on Rose Lane Primary School, in East London, which is a Thrive School of Excellence for mental health. Katie Parks, the school’s Counsellor, Mental Health Lead and Thrive Lead explains how mental wellbeing unlocks attendance and attainment and how the right structures, including having a Designated Mental Health Lead, can make the difference in terms of supporting pupils.

In this episode, we feature Rose Webb, Thrive’s South West Relationship Manager talking about self-care. Rose shares some quick and easy tips about how busy classroom staff can incorporate self-care into their working days. We also hear from Jo Phillips, a former doctor and Thrive Licensed Practitioner at Hammond Academy, in Hertfordshire, which is part of Aspire Academies Trust. Jo has co-authored a book called Mental Health and Wellbeing in Primary Education. Jo shares some of her insights into children’s mental health and why she believes a relational approach is key to supporting children and young people.

In this episode we talk to Mona Delahooke, a California-based licensed clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience caring for children and their families. She is the author of the book Beyond Behaviours: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioural Challenges. Mona is one of two keynote speakers who will be delivering webinars in the next couple of months for Thrive’s Forging New Connections conference series. We also hear from Christopher Harrison, Assistant Headteacher at Grove Road Community Primary School, in North Yorkshire, about why the school is taking a longer-term view of attainment, rather than focusing on short-term targets.

In this episode, we feature Kim Golding, who is a clinical psychologist, author and Dyadic Developmental Practice consultant and trainer. Kim is one of two keynote speakers who will be delivering webinars in the next couple of months for Thrive’s Forging New Connections series. We also hear about the playground buddy scheme at Perry Wood Primary and Nursery School, in Worcester, which features children trained to support their peers using the Vital Relational Functions.

In this episode, we feature Kay Hamilton, Thrive’s Central West Relationship Manager talking how about teachers and parents and carers can prepare for the full re-opening of schools. Kay shares some really useful insight into the range of emotions children may be feeling and she gives simple, practical tips on how trusted adults can help them to be ready to go back. We also hear from Paul Baker, Headteacher of Gulval School, in Penzance. Paul talks about leading the first Thrive School of Excellence in England, how his school came to have its own farm – and what it felt like to climb Snowdon with his pupils.

In this episode, Thrive's Head of Innovation in Education & Principal Trainer Viv Trask-Hall will be talking about the changes we have made to our courses to respond to government guidelines about social distancing and travel restrictions.

We have configured our courses to what we have termed a ‘Reblended’ model, adapting content and upskilling our amazing team of trainers to deliver more webinars and e-learning modules. This approach means that our training courses can go ahead to ensure continuity for our Thrive community and also to cater for the increased need to support children and young people through what are huge challenges to their mental and emotional health.

CLICK HERE to find out more about our courses.

Liz Parks, PR Officer at Thrive, talks to Teacher Laura Griffin - a Thrive Licensed Practitioner® who had used Thrive in her previous schools. When Laura started working at Greater Horseshoe, she believed the Thrive Approach® would be invaluable to measure pupils’ progress and help to draw up action plans to support their development through the monitoring and evaluation functions of Thrive-Online®. In our podcast, Laura describes how the school uses Thrive ... and what the results have been so far.

Our guests are Drew Povey, former Head Teacher of Harrop Fold School, the setting of Channel 4’s Educating Manchester TV series and Chris Dyson, headteacher at Parklands Primary, situated on one of Europe's largest council estates in Leeds. When Chris arrived at the school in 2015, it was deemed inadequate and had 150 exclusions in a year. 

We also speak to Rock Kidz, a social enterprise that gives Primary School children in the North-West of England the opportunity to work with established musicians. Like the Thrive Approach®, they utilise the arts, play and creativity in supporting social and emotional development.

View our Thrive Together® trailer at: https://mythrive.uk/35kJlNd

The latest episode of Thrive’s Connected podcast focuses on how educators can create and maintain good relationships with parents and carers. In the podcast, Rose Webb, Thrive’s Policy, Practice and Innovation lead, explains the benefits that a trusting and open relationship between home and school can bring for staff, parents and carers and, of course, for children and young people.

“Children and young people transition between home and school and there are lots of experiences that happen in between. If there is a supportive relationship between home and school it means that children understand that they are connected and it helps them to have a sense of the network of support and care that is around them,” said Rose.

Listen to discover: 

·       How good relationships between home and school can help create a preventative approach to mental health problems, with parents and carers more likely to be pro-active about communicating issues at home and potential problems.

·       What a trusting and open relationship with families and carers looks like in practice.

·       Why parents may struggle to engage with school because of their own past experiences – and how to respond if this is the case.

·       How Family Thrive sessions can foster these good relationships.

How good relationships can be developed and maintained in the smallest details such as the language used on a school’s website               

In our Christmas edition of Thrive Pedagogy, we speak to Helen Cousin founder of the charity Help Me I’m Fine, which has raised thousands of pounds to organise mental health sessions in primary schools in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Helen founded the charity after her 16-year-old daughter, Maisie, died by suicide in June 2017.

Helen tells us why she thinks that more needs to be done to help children to understand and talk about their emotions so that they are able to recognise when they need help, instead of pretending that everything is OK.

Helen also discusses her book, the Knot, which helps children identify and undo worry knots in their tummies, is available from the Misterton based, Independent Publisher, JJ Moffs.

When Thrive heard about the charity’s work, we decided to make Help Me, I’m Fine our charity of the year. In the run-up to Christmas we have held fundraising events including a bake sale and donations in lieu of Christmas cards.

Helen's book can be purchased from JJ Moffs at: https://jjmoffs.co.uk/product/the-knot/

In this Podcast, you will gain an introduction to the Thrive Approach, Thrive-Online and learn about the impact Thrive has had on a primary school in a deprived, rural area of Cornwall.

You can learn more about Thrive at: www.thriveapproach.com 

In this episode, we’re talking about behaviour and the importance of asking why a child or young person is behaving the way they are. My guest is author, behaviour specialist and teacher Adele Bates who works with specialist and mainstream schools in the UK and abroad on everything from writing behaviour policies to tackling aggressive behaviour in the classroom. Adele will be delivering a CPD keynote for Thrive later this spring looking at how educators can engage with hard-to-reach children whose behaviour may be particularly concerning.  

Listen to discover: 

• Real-life examples of behaviour issues that Adele has encountered – and the strategies she used to get a different outcome 

• The importance of curiosity when it comes to unpicking classroom behaviour 

• Why neuroscience is key when it comes to understanding behaviour 

• The importance of examining our own behaviours and attitudes when it comes to de-escalation 

• The impact of the pandemic on behaviour 

In this episode, we’re talking about gender and sexuality and why it’s important to consider them when talking to children and young people about mental health and wellbeing. My guest is education consultant and former deputy headteacher Ian Timbrell, who trains staff to create a genuinely inclusive culture of diversity when it comes to LGBTQIA+. Ian will be delivering two CPD sessions for Thrive in the next few months giving practical tips about how primary and secondary school staff can respond to children and young people who want to have conversations around gender and sexuality. He will also focus on language – what to say and what to avoid – so that educators can feel confident about having sensitive and supportive conversations with all children and young people. 

Listen to discover: 

• Why the + is the most important part of LGBTQIA+ 

• How you can avoid tokenism in schools and create a genuine culture of inclusion and diversity 

• Why educators shouldn’t shy away from conversations about gender, sexuality and identity and how allowing children and young people to be open will benefit their mental health 

• The one question classroom staff should ask if a child initiates a conversation around gender and identity 

• Why LGBTQIA+ is not a safeguarding issue 

In this episode we are talking about toileting and continence. It’s still seen as a taboo subject – something that our guest, Thrive Licensed Practitioner, Cathryn Giles, is passionate about changing. 

Cathryn is an Early Years Transition Worker in the Education Service at Cardiff Council. As part of her role, Cathryn does outreach works with schools in Cardiff to support pupils who are having problems with continence and toileting. This includes a wide range of issues across all age groups – from very young children who insist on staying in nappies through to teenagers who have stomas or catheters. 

Listen in to discover:   

• How emotional wellbeing can affect toileting behaviours – and why it’s important to take a holistic and nurturing approach 

• How she uses Thrive to support pupils who are having problems 

• How Covid has impacted on toileting issues – from online GP appointments through to disruptions to baby and toddler groups  

• How classroom staff can support pupils who may be embarrassed about problems with toileting and continence 

• Cathryn’s four top tips to help pupils of all age groups to have good bladder and bowel health 

• How schools can get children involved in making their loos a better environment so that they feel calm and relaxed when they go 

In this episode we are talking about neuroscience and how educators can use it to build effective connections with the children and young people they teach. Our guest today is Thrive Partnerships Lead and former teacher, Senco and headteacher, Kay Hamilton. Kay is a passionate advocate for the use of neuroscience in understanding classroom behaviour and in creating relationships that enable change to take place.  

Listen in to discover:   

• How to translate neuroscience into effective classroom practice 

• An explanation of the role of serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin in connection 

• Why connection between humans is so important for good mental health 

• Why disconnection can lead to an increase in cortisol, the stress hormone  

• An explanation of the link between social connection and the brain’s ability to form new neuronal pathways and to learn 

• Practical suggestions for language and activities that help to build connections 

“We’re seeing increasing levels of anxiety. And anxiety is the fuel for cortisol.”

Cortisol. The primary stress hormone. Due to the cost-of-living crisis, there’s a lot of it about at the moment. In this 5-minute video, Thrive’s Head of Product and Innovation, Viv Trask-Hall, discusses the wide variety of impacts the stress hormone can have on a teacher’s body. And shares her tried-and-tested strategies for how to remain calm in class.

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In this episode Viv Trask-Hall talks about discharge behaviours - the fight, flight and freeze responses. Viv explains the neuroscience that underlies these behaviours and suggests some useful strategies for managing them including giving examples of language that can de-escalate situations.