Zones of Regulation

At St Mary's, we recognise the importance of supporting children's emotional wellbeing and helping them to understand and manage their feelings.

We use The Zones of Regulation to help children develop an awareness of their emotions, recognise how they are feeling and learn strategies to support their emotional regulation.

The approach uses four coloured zones to help children identify and communicate their feelings:

• Blue Zone: When we may be feeling sad, tired, unwell or low in energy.

• Green Zone: When we feel calm, happy, focused and ready to learn. This is when our energy is calm.

• Yellow Zone: When we may be feeling worried, frustrated, excited or a little unsettled and our energy is rising.

• Red Zone: When we may be experiencing strong feelings of high energy such as anger, extreme excitement or feeling overwhelmed.

We teach children that all feelings are okay and that there are no 'good' or 'bad' zones. Instead, we help them recognise their emotions, understand what their bodies might be telling them and explore strategies to help them feel more regulated.

Through regular discussions, activities and check-ins, children develop the confidence and skills to recognise their emotions, make positive choices and identify when they might need support from a trusted adult.

Our aim is to create a supportive environment where every child feels safe to express their emotions, knowing that they will be listened to, understood and supported.

 

                          

 

Emotion Coaching 

At St Mary's, we use Emotion Coaching to support children's emotional wellbeing and help them develop an understanding of their feelings. We recognise that all emotions are valid and that children sometimes need support from adults to understand, express and manage how they are feeling.

Through Emotion Coaching, we aim to create a safe and supportive environment where children feel listened to, understood and valued. Adults take time to tune into children's emotions, listen without judgement, acknowledge and name their feelings, and support them to find appropriate strategies to manage challenging situations.

We use a consistent approach across school, following key steps: Notice, Name and Normalise, and Next. This helps children to develop emotional awareness, build positive relationships, develop resilience and become more confident in managing their emotions.

Emotion Coaching is closely linked to our work on the Zones of Regulation, helping children recognise their emotional states and identify strategies that support their wellbeing and readiness to learn.