Zones of Regulation
At Crynallt Primary we use Zones of Regulation for all pupils. Zones of Regulation is:
‘A framework designed to foster self-regulation and emotional control’….. In simple terms it teaches children how to recognise different emotions and gives them strategies to help manage how they react or behave as a result of those emotions i.e. how to self-regulate.
Zones of Regulation (ZOR) categorizes all the different ways we feel and states of alertness into four coloured zones:
1. The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heighted states of alertness and intense emotions. A person may be elated or experiencing anger, rage, devastation or terror when in the Red Zone.
2. The Yellow Zone is also used to describe a heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions, however a person will have more control when they are in this zone. They may be experiencing stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, or nervousness when in the Yellow Zone.
3. The Green Zone is used to describe a ‘calm’ state of alertness. A person may be described as happy, focused, content or ready to learn when in the Green Zone. This zone is where ‘optimal’ learning occurs.
4. The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness, or ‘down’ feelings such as feeling sad, sick, tired, bored, fed up etc. In this zone, children are going to be reluctant or negative about completing work, however it is also the zone where the body has time to rest and recover.
Zones of Regulation – What will this look like at Crynallt?
Zones of Regulation Display
Each class has a Zones of Regulation Display which uses the four coloured characters from the film Inside Out.
Children check in daily as they arrive each morning, so staff can quickly identify children who may need extra support. Through a series of structured lessons, children are taught how to identify a range of different emotions that they may experience. ZOR will be part of a whole school ethos of how we support and help pupils manage their emotions and behaviours in all areas of school life.
Children will be taught that there is no ‘Bad Zone’. They will be taught that it is ok to feel any emotion in the Red, Yellow, Green and Blue Zone and it is ok if they stay in that zone for the rest of the day. They don’t need to get back to the Green Zone. The important part is for them to be taught strategies that can help them manage any behaviours that may not be appropriate for their environment if needed.
Mindful Monday
Mindfulness – is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgement. Mindfulness has been found to be a key element in stress reduction and overall happiness.
Each Monday morning time has now been allocated where staff interact with the children through circle time, sharing a story, sharing information about their weekend, mindfulness activities such as yoga etc. to allow time for children to experience a calm start to the week. Children ‘check in’ daily on the different coloured zones which allows staff to identify children who may need to have additional support or time to chat.