Zones of Regulation and ROAR Response

Here at St Sebastian's, we are committed to nurturing the whole child, supporting pupils’ academic, social, emotional and spiritual development. We recognise that children’s mental health and wellbeing is central to their learning and growth. Our approach equips children with the knowledge, strategies, and confidence to understand and manage their emotions, build resilience, and thrive in school and life.

Zones of Regulation

www.zonesofregulation.com

From Year 1 to Year 6, pupils follow the Zones of Regulation curriculum, which helps them identify their emotions, understand triggers, and develop self-regulation skills.

Why do we use Zones of Regulation:

Recognising emotions: Children learn to label their feelings and understand that all emotions are valid.
Self-regulation strategies: Pupils practice safe coping skills to manage stress, frustration, anger, or overwhelm.
Social awareness and empathy: Understanding others’ emotions strengthens friendships and collaboration.
Reflection and resilience: Children develop the ability to reflect on their feelings and make constructive choices.

Zones of Regulation – Identifying Emotions

Zones of Regulation Activities To Help Kids Manage Emotions

Using Zones of Regulation at Home:

Discuss how we are feeling using Zones language (e.g., “I’m frustrated; I am in the yellow zone”).
Observe body cues associated with emotions (e.g., butterflies in the stomach, tight shoulders).
Explore triggers: Ask children to reflect on why they feel a certain way and what events or experiences led to that feeling.

ROAR Response

www.roarresponse.com

The ROAR programme was developed following a Liverpool city-wide review of whole-school approaches to mental health, which highlighted the importance of recognising early signs of poor mental health in pupils.

ROAR supports staff and pupils by:

Training all school staff to recognise signs and symptoms of mental health concerns.
Helping pupils develop resilience and coping strategies for managing emotions and challenges.
Offering a consistent approach across the school, from Nursery to Year 6, to respond to mental health needs effectively.
Supporting families in understanding mental health and promoting wellbeing at home.