We are delighted to introduce you to the Lighthouse classroom. This is an additional nurturing classroom which has a specific purpose. It is based upon the science behind regulation (being in control of your emotions and being able to calm yourself – which children are learning to develop throughout their childhoods.)

The Lighthouse is designed to guide children towards physical and emotional safety through REGULATE, RELATE, REASON, REFLECT – each of these ‘Rs’ relate to different parts of the brain. The more dysregulated a child is, the less they are able to listen and communicate (let alone learn and play). We can work with what we know about the survival brain, emotional brain, and learning brain to help children calm and regulate their emotions.

Our survival brain doesn’t communicate through words, it communicates through our senses. Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste, sensory feedback can soothe or trigger us. We can use a child’s sensory seeking behaviour to help them REGULATE.

Proprioceptive activities have a soothing effect on the nervous system. Pushing, pulling, deep pressure, & cardiovascular movement accumulate in the body. It provides a sense of physical safety, and therefore regulation, allowing us to access the emotional brain – the next step.