Student Wellbeing

Supporting Student Wellbeing with the Zones of Regulation

At St Justin’s, we are committed to supporting the emotional and social development of our students alongside their academic learning. This term, we are excited to share that we have introduced the Zones of Regulation framework as part of our whole-school approach to wellbeing.

What Are the Zones of Regulation?

The Zones of Regulation is a program designed to help students recognise and understand their emotions, and to equip them with tools and strategies to manage them effectively. The framework breaks down feelings and states of alertness into four coloured zones:

• Green Zone – calm, focused, ready to learn
• Blue Zone – tired, sad, bored, sick
• Yellow Zone – frustrated, silly, excited, nervous
• Red Zone – angry, out of control, terrified, elated

All zones are normal, and it's natural for everyone to experience each one. However, our goal is to help students learn how to identify what zone they're in and use appropriate strategies to return to the Green Zone, where they are calm, focused, and ready to learn.

✅ Linking with Our School Expectations

Our school expectations—

Respect for Self, Respect for others, Respect for the environment, therefore

We listen to and follow instructions

We move and act safely

We speak appropriately

We care

 —align closely with the Zones of Regulation. For example, being in the Green Zone helps students:

• Be safe by thinking clearly and making thoughtful choices.
• Be respectful by being in control of their actions and words.
• Show that we care  by staying focused and engaged during lessons.

💡 Learning Strategies to Return to Green

Throughout the term, students are exploring a range of self-regulation strategies, such as:

• Deep breathing
• Mindful moments
• Talking to a trusted adult
• Taking a movement break
• Using calming visuals or tools

These strategies are being modelled and practised in classrooms and during wellbeing sessions to help children build emotional awareness and resilience.

💬 How Families Can Support at Home

You can reinforce the Zones of Regulation at home by:

• Talking about the different zones and asking your child what zone they’re in.
• Helping them name their feelings and reassuring them that it’s okay to feel all emotions.
• Practising calming strategies together, such as breathing exercises or mindful drawing.

We believe that by working together, we can support every student in becoming a confident, self-aware learner who is equipped to manage life’s ups and downs.

Thank you for being part of this important journey with us!

 The St Justin’s Staff Team