PSHE/RSE
Zones of Regulation
The Zones of Regulation is a framework designed to help children understand and manage their emotions, improve self-regulation skills, and promote social-emotional learning. It is commonly used in primary schools to support students in recognizing and coping with different emotions. The Zones are divided into four color-coded categories, each representing a different state of emotion and alertness:
The Four Zones:
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Blue Zone: This zone represents feelings of sadness, boredom, tiredness, or feeling down. When in the Blue Zone, children may need rest or a break to return to a more regulated state.
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Green Zone: The ideal zone for learning and being in control. It represents feelings of calmness, happiness, and focus. Children are in the Green Zone when they are feeling regulated, ready to learn, and behaving appropriately.
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Yellow Zone: This zone represents a heightened state of alertness or excitement. Emotions like frustration, anxiety, or silliness can put a child in the Yellow Zone. It's a signal that the child is becoming overstimulated and may need strategies to calm down.
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Red Zone: This zone represents extreme emotions such as rage, terror, or being out of control. Children in the Red Zone may need immediate support to de-escalate and return to a regulated state.
Implementation in our School:
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Teaching the Zones: Students are introduced to the four zones using visual aids like posters or charts to help them recognize the different emotions associated with each zone. Teachers may use stories, videos, or role-playing to illustrate situations in which students might experience these emotions.
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Self-Awareness and Identification: Children are taught to identify which zone they are in throughout the day and encouraged to recognize when their emotions are changing. This helps them develop awareness of their emotional states and triggers.
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Coping Strategies: For each zone, children are taught specific coping strategies to help them manage their emotions. For example, in the Yellow Zone, children might use deep breathing or ask for a break, while in the Red Zone, they might use more intensive strategies like talking to a trusted adult or engaging in physical activity to calm down.
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Self-Regulation Tools: The Zones of Regulation provides tools such as “Zone Check-Ins” where students assess their emotional state and decide on an appropriate strategy to move into the Green Zone. Teachers may use visual cue cards, timers, or relaxation techniques to support students.
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Integration into Classroom Routine: Teachers incorporate discussions about the zones into daily routines, giving children a chance to express how they are feeling at various points during the day. Morning or afternoon check-ins allow students to discuss their emotions and decide on action steps for managing their feelings.
By creating a structured approach to emotional awareness and regulation, the Zones of Regulation helps children build emotional intelligence, improve behavior, and develop the skills necessary for positive social interactions.
Intent
At The Alderton Infant School we recognise the importance of Personal, Social, Emotional and Health Education (PSHE) and how it is connected to a variety of subjects. We cover the National Curriculum for Key Stage One and from September 2021, we will be using the 2020 framework for EYFS.
Our PSHE curriculum enables our children to be independent, resilient and healthy individuals with an open and fair-minded view on the community they live within. The children are given the opportunity to develop spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. We ensure that PSHE supports children with their communication skills and forming positive relationships with their peers.
Our PSHE curriculum helps children to develop their personal, social, and emotional learning and prepare them for the next stage in their education. Our aim is for all of our children to make positive choices, be sensitive and empathetic towards the needs and experiences of others, as well as identifying their own personal boundaries and possessing the tools to assert them in a healthy and constructive manner. Across the school, we use PSHE to discuss real life experiences that may already be familiar children, or situations that are likely to occur within their primary school years. For example, encountering different family units, meeting people with differing religious beliefs and making friends who are different but equally valuable and special. This directly echoes wider aspects of our school ethos, including our golden rule which is 'to be kind and friendly.'
Implementation
Reception
In Reception we take into account the different experiences the children will have had and their different starting points when starting school.
From September 2021 our PSHE framework in EYFS will be focusing on 3 areas.
- Self-regulation- This will allow children to develop an understanding of their own feelings and others. It will enable the children to work towards simple goals and handle a delay when waiting for something they would like. The children will be able to develop their listening skills e.g. following instructions that involve more than one action.
- Managing self- This will enable the children grow in confidence and be ready to try new activities. It will help to develop their independence, perseverance and resilience as well as understanding the difference between right and wrong. The children will also have opportunities to develop their understanding of the importance of healthy food, personal hygiene etc.
- Building relationships- The children will be able to develop their friendships by learning how to work and play together and taking turns.
Key Stage One
Our PSHE scheme of work covers the targets that should be met by the end for Key Stage One. The PSHE scheme of work builds on the skills that pupils started to acquire during reception. For Key Stage One PSHE has been put into 3 different areas.
- Health and wellbeing - The children are able to develop a better understanding of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They will be able to distinguish the difference between good and not so good feelings. The children will also know ways of keeping physically safe e.g. road and internet safety. The children will also develop their skills on staying emotionally safe e.g. the difference between secrets and surprises.
- Relationships- This enables the children to develop their feelings and how to communicate those feelings. The children will be able to recognise the difference between right and wrong, kind and unkind etc.
- Living in the wider world- The children will be able to construct and follow class/ school rules. The children will develop the skills in understanding that people and other living things have needs.
Whilst these are 3 separate areas they can be interwoven with each other and sometimes we are able to draw on more than one theme for example RSE falls within Health and Wellbeing and Relationships. Using this scheme allows us to draw on the children’s current experiences but also prepare them for their future. We provide a spiral curriculum which enables children to develop knowledge, skills and attributes. Some areas are revisited and extended year on year.
Whole school
We are constantly looking at the changes with specific knowledge in PSHE e.g. medical or technological advances. Therefore we are ensuring that the information we are using is up to date and accurate. The Alderton Infant School also use The Zones of Regulation in Key Stage 1. This allows the children to identify their emotions and attitudes throughout the day. In EYFS we use mood stars which enables the children to talk about their feelings.
During PSHE lessons we ask pupils to apply their knowledge and skills onto other subjects such as Science and Maths. For example, whilst learning about money, it is important for the children to understand what money is and why we need it. By connecting these skills and knowledge it helps the children to access the wider world. We have other links into PSHE for example school council, circle time and class discussions.
Impact
By the time our children leave us at the end of Key Stage 1, they will have been given the tools to practice understanding themselves, their boundaries and the fundamental experiences and emotions that make them who they are. In addition to this, they will also have a fair and empathetic view of the individuals who create the community they exist within; celebrating differences and acknowledging that there are many ways to exist within a positive and nurturing environment. Children at the Alderton Infants School will understand the importance of monitoring both their physical and emotional health, and will be able to identify the ways in which they can improve upon each one when feeling dysregulated.