Mental Health and Emotional Development

Mental health and emotional development are vital to children’s well-being and their ability to learn and build positive relationships. Our curriculum supports children to understand and manage their feelings, develop empathy, and build resilience through age-appropriate learning at each progression step.

Progression Step 1 (Nursery & Reception)
Young children begin by recognising and naming basic emotions such as happy, sad, or angry. They express their feelings through activities like storytelling, role play, and creative arts. Through circle time and sharing games, they learn to take turns, show kindness, and understand personal boundaries, building a strong foundation for emotional awareness.

Progression Step 2 (Years 1 to 3)
Children deepen their understanding of a wider range of emotions and practise skills to manage them. They engage in activities such as keeping emotion journals, participating in role-play scenarios to resolve conflicts, and using calm-down corners with sensory tools to help regulate their feelings. These experiences develop empathy, active listening, and problem-solving skills.

Progression Step 3 (Years 4 to 6)
Older children explore more complex emotions like anxiety and stress. They practise coping strategies including mindfulness exercises, guided relaxation, and positive self-talk. They take part in workshops on mental health awareness and engage in peer-support projects that encourage open communication. These activities help them build resilience, emotional intelligence, and confidence.

By embedding these hands-on, reflective activities into our teaching, we help children grow into confident, compassionate, and emotionally healthy individuals ready to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.