10 years of research has led to our Circles for Learning Approach
Circles for Learning is a unique, research-based approach developed by an experienced Educational Psychotherapist alongside of skilled classroom practitioners. It helps schools bring learning and wellbeing together to build more compassionate mental health friendly classrooms.
The programme focuses on developing the five key areas that underpin positive mental health and emotional wellbeing — explored in a fun, inclusive, and interactive way using a parent and their baby (aged 9-24 months) who visit the classroom once a month for a whole year.
Through observing and reflecting on what they see children and young people learn to:
Understand emotions and how they affect our thinking and behaviour
Watch relationships unfold and notice the skills needed to develop these
Observe how interactions can both rupture and be repaired
Watch emotional regulation in action
See the ups and downs of learning
Understand how our sense of self develops
And so much more
After these exciting visits children work with their teacher on follow up activities that explore and teach the skills needed for emotional regulation, positive relationships, self-awareness, skills for learning and how the brain affects our thinking and behaviour.
Circles for Learning is an exciting and unique way for children to experience, not just learn about, the foundations of wellbeing — empathy, connection, resilience, self-awareness, emotions and learning.
Impact
Circles for Learning is grounded in science and proven in real classrooms. Research across both primary and secondary schools shows it enables children and young people to become more self-aware, understand themselves, manage emotions, and build stronger relationships.
Primary School Research
One research project took place in six primary schools in East Sussex. The findings were clear — children made noticeable progress in their ability to:
Talk about how they felt and use effective strategies to regulate their emotions
Listen to each other and collaborate more successfully in class
Solve problems both in their learning and in their relationships
Contribute to calmer, more respectful classroom environments
Teachers also reported that they were able to manage behaviour more successfully and that classrooms felt more settled and positive overall.
Another research project involved two primary schools in Kent. Circles for Learning was delivered in two full classrooms (Years 3/4 and 5/6) and in two smaller groups.
The outcomes were very exciting, showing significant improvements in key areas of social and emotional development:
75% improvement in self-esteem
69% improvement in self-awareness
73% improvement in self-regulation
74% improvement in social skills
Secondary School Research
A research project with the University of York extended Circles for Learning into five secondary settings — including mainstream, SEMH, and special schools. Results showed significant gains for both staff and students:
46% improvement in self-awareness
57% improvement in self-regulation
46% rise in motivation
57% increase in empathy
50% boost in social skills
Research led. Relationship based. Meaningful change.
View research report
Circles for Learning trains and then supports teachers to bring a parent and young child into the classroom (KS1-KS3) once a month for a year. This amazing experience allows children to observe the development of relationships, watch learning unfold, understand how our sense of self develops and observe and understand emotions and the ways in which they impact on our behaviour.
With the guidance and support of their teacher they explore and think about what they have seen and how this may link to their own development, learning, thinking, behaviour and ways of interacting with others. These parent young child observation visits are the provocation or stimulus to follow up work led by the teacher exploring each of the five essential elements that form the foundations for positive mental health and wellbeing.
Do you want to make a difference?
My name is Alison Waterhouse, I trained as a teacher and have been working with children and young people, in a range of roles for the past 30 years. I was the Founding Head of a well-respected Therapeutic Special School in Kent, worked as a SENCo and Inclusion Manager in mainstream schools before training as an Education Psychotherapist.
I have worked for both Young Minds and the Anna Freud Centre as a trainer for schools and work as a part time Wellbeing Adviser for the Shaw Trust (Optimus) supporting schools achieve their prestigious Schools Wellbeing Award. My passion is both education and wellbeing, and creating ways when they can both support and strengthen each other. I passionately believe that without wellbeing there can be no real learning.
I have written several books for teachers including:
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Teachers Toolkit: a series of five books that support teachers develop and teach the skills that underpin positive mental health and wellbeing
All my books are published by Routledge and are focused on helping schools develop their mental health and wellbeing provision both across the whole schools and in the classroom.
Whether you’re a Head Teacher or a SENCO, a class teacher or a Wellbeing Lead, a Thrive practitioner or a Teaching Assistant I understand that you want to make a difference to the children you teach. Not only to their academic achievements, but to their wellbeing, their ability to flourish, manage their future and be happy. My experience has shown me that without wellbeing their can be no learning.
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