The Heart of ThriveNow
Building a school and education hub from the ground up
Good morning, dear supporters,
As we reach another milestone in our journey, I'm struck by how profoundly true our founding belief has proven: transformative education requires a village. While caring for my youngest during a recent illness (thankfully now recovering), I've had time to reflect on both our progress and the incredible community making it possible.
ThriveNow is evolving rapidly from vision to reality. We're building more than just a secondary school – we're creating a thriving educational hub centred on four key pillars:
Enquiry-based pedagogy
An enriching curriculum
Multi-modal formative assessment; and
All underpinned with a supportive community
Building something as ambitious as ThriveNow—a secondary school and a thriving hub—has its challenges. There are moments of excitement and deep purpose, but also times when the sheer scale of what we are doing feels overwhelming. Yet, at every turn, I am reminded that this isn’t just mine and Arunjay’s vision—it belongs to all of us.
Welcoming new faces to the ThriveNow team
We are overjoyed to welcome Luciana, our new Head of Operations. She is not only highly skilled and values-driven but also brings a deep kindness that has been felt across the team from day one. Luciana has stepped in to streamline the many strands we’ve been weaving—fundraising, marketing, community-building, curriculum development—and has eased our cognitive load in ways I can’t even begin to describe. Her commitment to sustainable practice aligns beautifully with everything we are building. She is also a multi-linguist, speaking English, Italian and Mandarin.. something I am in awe of.
We also recently welcomed Wendy, our new Head of Research. She is a brilliant PhD student at the University of Chichester, studying wellbeing in education. As a parent who has navigated the secondary system with her own children, Wendy brings both deep academic insight and personal experience. She is meticulous, emotionally intelligent, and keeps us grounded in evidence-based practice across our four pillars. She’s committed to ensuring ThriveNow creates a truly inclusive approach for everyone in education. Right now, she’s developing questionnaires for parents, students, and teachers to make sure we really understand what they need and can shape our support to fit those needs. We are incredibly fortunate to have her expertise shaping ThriveNow’s approach.
The unsung heroes working behind the scenes
Alongside our core team, there are those working quietly but powerfully behind the scenes. From early on, we have been collaborating with Web of Wellbeing (WoW)—a team that has played an essential role in refining our strategy and messaging:
Ashley has been a formidable support in navigating the strategy and communications side of things. While I have two decades of experience in education, stepping into the multi-faceted roles required to scale this project is a steep learning curve. Ashley’s expertise in law and compliance, combined with her deep commitment to inclusivity, equity, and systemic change, has been invaluable.
Ivana, with her unwavering belief in what we are building, has been a constant source of support and encouragement.
Victoria has been coaching me in the background, reminding me to reconnect with joy—to embrace the passion and purpose that drive this work, rather than getting lost in the weight of responsibility. She has also been volunteering her time to help fundraise, something I am learning so much from. Victoria, you are an inspiration.
Beyond WoW, we have been fortunate to connect with Victoria Lenormand, a parent whose journey resonated with our mission. After reading our Substack, she reached out and has since been volunteering her time to help us develop courses and also with the operating procedures. Her inspired, honest and thought-provoking book, The Magic of Not Fitting In, is a powerful testament to reimagining education and advocating for children who don’t fit the narrow mould.
Incredible allies in the field of education
Beyond our immediate team, we are incredibly grateful to those working tirelessly in the education space, offering us their support, wisdom, and encouragement.
Lucy Stephens, who not only runs The New School UK (an enormous undertaking in itself), but also navigates motherhood, has been incredibly generous in offering her advice and insight as we take our first steps in building the secondary school. We are endlessly grateful to her and her team for their guidance and belief in what we are creating.
Cristiana Camisotti, CEO of Home-Start, is another extraordinary force of nature. As a mother and a passionate advocate for education reform, Cristiana has been playing a key role in shaping our secondary school provision. Her belief in ThriveNow’s vision and her commitment to supporting families is something we deeply admire.
Lucy Annison-Koskei, a child psychologist who has shared her expertise and insights so generously. The many conversations we’ve had about education, wellbeing, and child development have been instrumental in shaping ThriveNow’s approach.
The King Alfred School, where I taught for 16 years, laid the foundations for ThriveNow. A school rooted in progressive education, it has long been a hotbed of inspiration, challenging conventional models and championing student-led learning. Originally founded 125 years ago as a rational alternative to Victorian-era education, it remains a beacon of innovation today. I am incredibly grateful to both Heads, Robert Lobatto and Karen Thomas, for their unwavering support while I worked at the school and more broadly as we build ThriveNow.
Similarly, Educare Small School embodies many of the principles at the heart of ThriveNow. Founded by Elizabeth Steinthal 28 years ago, this pioneering primary school reimagined what education could look like when high-stakes testing was removed and replaced with child-centred learning, creativity, and emotional intelligence. It stands as a powerful example of what is possible when we put children’s wellbeing and curiosity first.
And last but definitely not least, our dear friends and family—many of whom will be reading this—who champion our work in ways both big and small. You check in, offer insights, and listen tirelessly as we share ideas and challenges. Your belief in this vision fuels us.
Immediate priorities and how you can help
We're currently focused on three key areas:
Finalising our curriculum framework
Developing our wellbeing assessment tools
Building our support network
We need your help to succeed. Here's how you can contribute:
Connect us with potential partners in education, sustainability, or community development
Share your expertise if you work in education, psychology, or related fields
Support our fundraising efforts to make this vision accessible to all families
Spread the word about ThriveNow in your networks
What's next
Over the next four weeks, we'll share detailed plans for each of the four pillars.
A heartfelt thank you
The last few weeks have been tough, but they have also reaffirmed something important: I am not doing this alone. None of this would be possible without the extraordinary people who believe in the power of education done differently.
So, this is my moment to say thank you. Thank you for your time, your generosity, your belief in what we are building. Every conversation, every offer of support, every moment of encouragement makes a difference. You are the reason ThriveNow is becoming a reality.
With gratitude,
Kimberley
PS: Know an individual, business or organisation that might want to support or connect with us? Please pass along our details.
PPS: We have had many requests for more detail on the school itself. We will share more after the Easter break.