Guardian launches Thrive, a leadership framework for lead educators and teachers

Freya Lucas

Jan 10, 2025

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The Guardian Early Learning Group has unveiled its new leadership framework Thrive which has already made a significant impact on the day to day room management of over 830 Lead Educators and Teachers across its 190 centres nationwide.

Thrive aims to ensure that every room in every centre across the country operates consistently, efficiently, and joyfully every day, setting a new standard in early childhood education.

In its early rollout stages, Thrive has significantly enhanced team management, safety protocols, and educational quality, demonstrating substantial improvements in both educator satisfaction and child outcomes, a Guardian spokesperson said.

Essentially Thrive is a comprehensive toolkit developed for every room, offering practical resources that equip lead Educators and Teachers with clear systems, guidance, and processes to lead their rooms with confidence and success.

The framework comprises seven key modules, covering essential areas such as team building, safety management, program development, and relationship building with children and families.

Unlike traditional professional development resources, Thrive offers a unique and actionable roadmap for Educators aspiring to grow as leaders. It provides step-by-step guidance and tools to:

Lead teams effectively
Foster strong relationships with children, families, and colleagues
Manage safety in their rooms
Deliver enriching, high-quality educational programs
Build and maintain supportive environments

“Thrive is our most important initiative this year—possibly the most important one we’ve launched,” CEO Warren Bright said.

“By providing our Lead Educators and Teachers with tools to foster calm, organised, and effective days, we’re not just supporting Educators; we’re improving outcomes for children and families.”

Since its implementation, Thrive has had a transformational impact across Guardian centres, with the following statistics demonstrating its effectiveness:

83 per cent of centres have completed the first two modules in the first 2 months, empowering more than 830 Lead Educators / Teachers to successfully manage teams and daily operations.
Guardian’s weekly Thrive Live sessions, attended by more than 1,000 Educators in 2024, showcase peer-to-peer recognition and mentorship opportunities. Many more watched remotely with the audiences growing in each session
840 peer recognitions were recorded through the “You’re Thriving” initiative, celebrating excellence and dedication in our community.

“This is not a tick-box exercise or merely a list of tasks,” explained Sharon Whiteman, Chief Network Officer, alongside Kathryn Waugh, Chief Quality and Curriculum Officer at Guardian. “Thrive is about embedding a way of working that allows educators to feel confident, successful, and happy in their roles. With Thrive, we’re celebrating the amazing work our teams are doing while also helping them grow stronger every day.”

Educational Leader Savita from Victoria has enjoyed the presence of the program in her service, saying “Thrive has boosted the confidence and empowerment of our room leaders and team members. They now work better together, feel more supported, and have identified areas for growth—all of which have improved our centre’s overall performance.”

Lead Teacher Taylor, from a Guardian centre in Victoria, said the framework “builds confidence, empowers professionals, and creates a collaborative environment where sharing ideas and learning together benefits everyone, especially the children.”

As well as boosting the confidence of educators and teachers, one of the core aspirations of the program is to ensure that Guardian becomes ‘a place people love to be.’

“Our goal with Thrive is to create an environment where our Educators feel valued and supported. When our team members thrive, so do the children and families we serve. This holistic approach ensures we remain at the forefront of early childhood education,” Mr Bright added.

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