Zones of Regulation

Empowering our Junior School students to identify and regulate their emotions is paramount to us, as it supports their ongoing development both inside and outside the classroom. 

At RGS Junior School, supporting the emotional development of our students is as important to us as anything else we strive for.

A student's ability to recognise, acknowledge and understand a feeling is crucial to building the foundations that enable them to regulate their emotional state. Anyone's ability to learn is contingent upon how they are feeling, so when students feel angry or anxious, that can hinder their education.

In order to create a consistent Junior School-wide approach, we are very excited to be working in partnership and introducing the Zones of Regulation - a research-based approach designed to boost young people's emotional understanding and increase their self-awareness.

Feelings are complicated. They come in different sizes, intensities, and levels of energy that are unique to everyone's brains and bodies. To make them easier to talk about, think about, and regulate, The Zones of Regulation organises feelings, states of alertness, and energy levels into four coloured Zones – Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red. 

This simple, common language and visual structure of The Zones of Regulation aims to help students to learn, understand and practice self-regulation while in the classroom, on the playground and at home. 

At the heart of the Zones of Regulation is the belief that all Zones are okay. Everyone experiences several Zones across a day. The key is acknowledging, accepting, and supporting these feelings and never making anyone feel like the Green Zone is the norm.