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PSED - self regulation behaviour

One of the most important aspects of being a child at North Islington is about receiving the support necessary to become a happy and independent learner. Staff focus on ensuring that children feel safe and secure through a key person system. Home visits and a slow, consistent settling in period allow children to become familiar with the setting, the children and staff. Staff also ensure that they enable children to manage their feelings and emotions in an age/stage appropriate way.

Self Regulation

‘Self regulation involves children’s developing ability to regulate their emotions, thoughts and behaviour to enable them to act in positive ways towards a goal.’ Birth to Five Matters pg.20 2021.

At North Islington Nursery School, staff are consistent with the use of strategies from the school’s positive behaviour management policy. Our strategies are designed to work in partnership with children to enable co-regulation – staff model ways of managing feelings and emotions in a positive way, they respond promptly and calmly to distressed children and support children to think about their feelings and support them to learn about ways forward. These strategies also support children’s understanding of routine, boundaries and acceptable behaviour.

At every stage of development and in an age appropriate way, staff empower children to try to manage their own conflicts and disputes. This is done by allowing children time to work things out if safe to do so or by providing language used to negotiate and turn take. As children develop we begin to see that they can do this for themselves with staff on hand if necessary to support.

The learning environments are set up to encourage parallel and co-operative play. Spaces are also provided to ensure that children can take themselves away from the hustle and bustle of the rooms such as inside a den or cosy corner. Older children are often encouraged to use these quieter spaces if they need some time out to calm down or reflect on something.

Staff encourage children of all ages to be independent and to try and do things for themselves before stepping in. Staff also spend time modelling skills and language to scaffold learning – (helping children to do something today that they can later do for themselves).

The classrooms provide excellent opportunities for children to direct their own learning and do things for themselves. Furniture and resources are well selected to enable children to help themselves to materials, to transfer resources to space to space to use in their play and to ensure the flow of play is not interrupted.