Meridian High School celebrates Thrive School of Excellence award

Meridian High School celebrated becoming a Thrive School of Excellence for mental wellbeing after being awarded Thrive’s highest level of achievement. They are only the second secondary school in the country to be awarded this status.   

The award recognises extraordinary schools that are making a positive impact on their pupils, and on the wider community by prioritising emotional wellbeing. 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 the School of Excellence award reserved for schools that achieve the highest standard across all five categories. 

Meridian was joined at their celebration by Lord O’Shaughnessy, Jason Perry, the Mayor of Croydon and Jo Jack, Croydon Council’s Interim Head of Service: Access to Education / Interim Head of the Virtual School. Representatives from Meridian’s Multi Academy Trust, GLF Schools, were also in attendance: Fiona Jarman, Children’s Services Lead, Janet Miall, Business & Operations Director, Ben Wakefield, Chief Information & Digital Officer and Jak Martin, Head of Foundation.  

Lord O’Shaughnessy presented Headteacher, Amy Anderson, and the four Thrive Ambassadors with the Award and Melanie Fisher, Thrive Relationship Manager for the East of England said a few words. She reflected on what a personal pleasure it had been to work with Meridian and the Thrive team including Jayne Curd, Senior Leader for Behaviour and David Greenidge, Thrive Lead Practitioner. Melanie went on to say, “Relationships are at the heart of Thrive. As human beings we are social creatures, and we learn to be resilient through relationships. I am so incredibly proud of what you have achieved here at Meridian.” 

Our Ambassadors gave the guests a tour of the school and Lord O’Shaughnessy commented that, “It has been a pleasure to meet the staff and students at Meridian and to see the Thrive approach being embedded throughout the school. I was impressed with how calm it was when we toured the school.” 

Amy Anderson added, “If children’s emotional wellbeing is nurtured then they will be able to learn effectively, and the rest will follow. Through adopting the Thrive Approach we are not only enabling our young people to succeed educationally but teaching them skills that will be with them for life.”