This module uses a simple four-state model, describing how a pupil is in plain words rather than borrowed labels, alongside simple mindfulness and grounding techniques, giving pupils a shared, non-judgemental language for talking about how they feel. It follows the DfE's Mental health and behaviour in schools advice, which asks staff to consider whether behaviour may be an expression of an underlying difficulty with regulating emotion, rather than treating it purely as wilful misconduct. This also contributes to the personal development and well-being evaluation area in Ofsted's inspection framework, which considers how well pupils learn to understand and manage their own emotions.
Objective: Pupil can name at least five emotions beyond 'happy', 'sad' and 'angry'.
Check-in: 1. Get out the 'How am I right now?' chart and ask: 'which is closest to today — calm, unsettled, overwhelmed, or shut down?' Pupil picks one. 2. Ask: 'what put you there?' 3. Record the answer — this is the baseline you will compare against in week five. 4. Say what happens to what they tell you: you keep notes, and the plan at the end goes to staff they agree to. If something worries you about their safety you have to pass it on, and you would tell them who to.
Input: 1. Show the emotions wheel. 2. Ask them to find a word they would never normally use. 3. Explain why the vocabulary matters: 'angry' covers ten different feelings, and they need different responses.
Activity: 1. Lay out the emotion word cards and ask: 'which of these have you felt in the last week?' 2. Pupil sorts the ones they pick into calm, unsettled or overwhelmed. 3. Take two or three and ask: 'when was the last time you felt that one?' 4. Note the words they use in the box below — these are the words to reuse in later sessions.
Reflect: 1. Ask: 'which of those words is the hardest one to say out loud?' 2. Pupil picks four words to use this week, even if only in their own head.
Watch for: Emotional vocabulary is often genuinely underdeveloped, not resisted, treat this as teaching, not therapy.
Parent/carer take-home: Try asking 'how are you right now?' instead of 'what's wrong?' this week, it can feel easier to answer.
You're seeing week 1 in full. The remaining 5 sessions, along with the printable resource packs, are available once you have an account.
Schools can start a free three-week pilot with up to 3 mentor seats and 10 pupils. No card required.