PAGS rocket logoPAGS vs Thrive

Thrive covers SEMH.
‍PAGS covers all four developmental domains, no training tax.

Thrive is a well-regarded approach to social, emotional and mental health. It requires a £3,268 + VAT training fee before the software is usable, and it doesn't cover cognition, communication, or EHCP evidence. PAGS assesses all four developmental domains from day one, no training tax, live in 1-2 days.

↗PAGS doesn't replace Thrive-trained staff. It adds the assessment, targets, and EHCP workflow Thrive was never built to cover.
Book a demo →See the full comparison
Illustration representing the PAGS mission
Five questions schools ask when comparing

Why schools choose PAGS over Thrive.

Thrive does SEMH well. Here's what it doesn't cover, and how PAGS fills the gap.

01

What does it actually assess?

Thrive: SEMH only, one of four developmental domains.

PAGS adds: all four domains, Communication, Cognition, Social Interaction, Self-Regulation, in one assessment.

02

What does it cost to get started?

Thrive: a mandatory £3,268 + VAT training fee before the software is usable.

PAGS adds: no training tax. Schools are live in 1-2 days.

03

How does pricing scale?

Thrive: per-pupil tiers from £450/yr (25 pupils) up to £2,250+/yr (200+ pupils), plus the training fee.

PAGS adds: one flat fee, from £1,300/yr primary or £1,700/yr secondary, unlimited pupils and staff.

04

Does it help with EHCPs?

Thrive: no EHCP or provision-mapping support.

PAGS adds: an EHCP Application Pack and full provision mapping, generated from the same assessment data.

05

What about our Thrive-trained staff?

Thrive: 75,000+ practitioners trained in SEMH practice. That expertise doesn't disappear.

PAGS adds: PAGS works alongside Thrive-trained staff, adding the assessment, targets, and EHCP workflow Thrive doesn't cover.

The full comparison

Feature by feature: PAGS vs Thrive.

Feature
Thrive
P
What PAGS adds
Scope of assessment
SEMH only
All 4 developmental domains: cognition, communication, social, self-regulation
Getting started
£3,268 + VAT mandatory training before software works
No training tax, live in 1-2 days
Pricing model
Per-pupil tiers, £450/yr (25 pupils) to £2,250+/yr (200+ pupils)
Flat fee, unlimited pupils and staff
EHCP support
None
EHCP Application Pack built automatically from assessment evidence
Provision mapping
None
Full provision mapping with cost-vs-progress tracking
AI
None
AI-generated targets, EHCP document extraction
Staff access
Per-licence, training-gated
Unlimited staff accounts, whole-school collaboration
What PAGS adds on top of Thrive

Two products. One clear winner on value.

Thrive is strong on SEMH, and its practitioner training holds real value.
PAGS adds the assessment, targets, and EHCP workflow that training doesn't cover.

Thrive

SEMH assessment and training.

  • SEMH assessment (Thrive-Online)
  • Practitioner training and certification
  • Per-pupil pricing, scales with roll
  • £3,268 + VAT training fee to get started
  • No EHCP or provision-mapping support

Strong on SEMH culture and training. Doesn't cover cognition, communication, or EHCP evidence.

PAGS adds

All four domains, no training tax.

  • UCL-validated assessment across all 4 domains
  • AI-suggested targets, matched to results
  • Provision mapping with cost-vs-progress tracking
  • EHCP application packs that build themselves
  • Unlimited staff accounts, no training gate

One flat fee from £1,300/yr primary, £1,700/yr secondary, less than Thrive's training fee alone. No per-pupil scaling.

In practice

What schools see alongside their Thrive-trained staff.

Instead of seeing three children a day because of all the different hurdles we used to go through, I can now see up to five students a day. Before, interventions were not being recorded. Now the whole school is doing them.

Michelle Bramhall · SEND Lead, Stone Soup Academy

Ofsted Outstanding (June 2025), third consecutive

Before you book: PAGS shows you which pupils are falling behind, why, and what to do next.

Book a demo - 30 minutesSee how it works in 30 seconds ↓

UCL validated · 4 countries · From £1,450/year · GDPR compliant