Sheep Dip Lane Academy becomes a Thrive School of Excellence

We are thrilled to announce that Sheep Dip Lane Academy has been named as a Thrive School of Excellence. 

The award is the highest level of achievement in Thrive’s ‘Ambassador Schools’ scheme, which shines a light on settings showcasing outstanding mental health and wellbeing support. 

Vice Principal Alison Parkhurst said “We are extremely proud to have been awarded the School of Excellence Award”.  

Sheep Dip Lane Academy, in Dunscroft near Doncaster, is one of nine schools that make up Exceed Learning Partnership. The school supports 244 pupils, aged 3 to 11, and is at the heart of a former mining community with high levels of unemployment and 57% of pupils  receiving free school meals.

Sheep Dip Lane introduced Thrive in 2014 after noticing that a number of children were struggling to manage their emotions. This was preventing some children from accessing learning and staff were constantly having to fight behaviour, with little lasting impact.

Viv Trask-Hall, Head of Product and Innovation at Thrive, said: “Sheep Dip Lane Academy is an inspirational school where staff have placed mental wellbeing at the heart of school life.”

“Relationships between staff and pupils are strong and this has created a culture of wellbeing that means children feel calm, emotionally-regulated and ready to learn.  Staff are committed to embedding mental health at the heart of school life and they richly deserve this achievement. This award recognises that amazing work and is very well deserved.”

Through Thrive's assessment, action-planning and progress-monitoring tool, the Sheep Dip Lane team were able to baseline pupils’ social and emotional skills and identify children who required extra support to get them to age-related expectations. 

Thrive is now woven into the academy’s culture, supporting the social and emotional development of every pupil to help prepare them for the future and equip them with the skills they will need for adult life. 

Sheep Dip Lane Academy now has four Thrive Licensed Practitioners and all staff receive continuing professional development on the Thrive Approach. One Licensed Practitioner is also a Course Leader for Family Thrive and a Thrive trainer, running sessions for parents and carers as well as training colleagues across Exceed Learning Partnership.