Why Emotional Regulation Matters in Today’s Schools
Emotional regulation sits at the heart of so many priorities in education:
- Behaviour and conduct
- Attendance and engagement
- Safeguarding and early help
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Relationships and communication
- Classroom climate and learning
When young people can recognise what they’re feeling and have a strategy they can use in the moment, everything shifts. Staff feel more confident, pupils feel more in control, and the whole school benefits from a calmer, more consistent approach.
The Decider Life Skills offer 12 CBT and DBT‑informed strategies that are:
- Easy to teach
- Easy to remember
- Easy to use in real‑life situations
They give staff and students a shared language for talking about emotions and making skilful choices — something schools tell us is transformative.
Trusted Across Education, Health and Social Care
The Decider Life Skills training is approved by the British Psychological Society for CPD and is already used by:
- Primary and secondary schools
- Further education colleges
- NHS mental health services
- CAMHS teams
- Universities
- Youth and community services
Schools consistently report improvements in:
- Emotional regulation
- Behaviour and self‑control
- Staff confidence
- Student engagement
- Whole‑school wellbeing culture
“Great - so user friendly. The more schools using them, the better!”
— Primary Assistant Headteacher
“Decider Skills are central to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all our children (and adults!).”
— Primary SENCO
How Schools and MATs Use The Decider Life Skills
The Life Skills are intentionally flexible, allowing schools and colleges to integrate them into existing systems and priorities.
Primary Schools — The Good2Go Programme
Our Good2Go Programme provides everything primary schools need to deliver the Life Skills through engaging, child‑friendly content:
- Short teaching videos where young people introduce the skills
- 20 student handbooks
- Posters, activities and embedding resources
- Online training for two staff
- Lifetime access to the Good2Go portal
Good2Go works beautifully for:
- Whole‑school or year‑group assemblies
- PSHE lessons
- Small‑group interventions
- SEMH and pastoral support
- Behaviour and wellbeing strategies
Secondary Schools & Further Education
Older learners benefit from a more flexible approach. Schools and colleges use the Life Skills through:
- Assemblies (2 skills per week)
- Tutor time or PSHE
- Curriculum‑linked activities
- SEMH, EBSA or safeguarding groups
- 1:1 pastoral or counselling sessions
Across all phases, the shared language of the skills helps students talk more openly about how they feel and what they need.
A Quick, Visual Overview for Leaders and Practitioners
Our new infographic brings together:
- What the Life Skills are
- Why schools use them
- How they’re delivered in primary, secondary and FE
- What’s included in the training and resources
- Real feedback from schools
- Links to learn more
It’s designed to support conversations within schools and MATs — whether you’re exploring new wellbeing approaches, reviewing behaviour systems, or looking for consistent strategies across multiple settings.
View the infographic below.
Learn More About The Decider Life Skills
If you’d like to explore how The Decider Life Skills could support your school, college or MAT, we’d be happy to share examples, answer questions or arrange a short conversation with the creators.
- Primary (Good2Go): thedecider.org.uk/our-strategies/life-skills/good2go-schools-programme/
- Secondary & FE: thedecider.org.uk/who-we-help/education-secondary-further-education/
- Testimonials: thedecider.org.uk/news-studies-testimonials/news-studies-testimonials/education-young-people/