EEF Social and Emotional Learning

IMPROVING SOCIAL AND
EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Guidance Report
We would like to thank the many researchers and teachers who provided support and feedback on drafts of this guidance. In
particular, we would like to thank the Advisory Panel and Evidence Review Team:
Advisory Panel: Jonathan Baggaley (PSHE Association), Professor Robin Banerjee (University of Sussex), Professor Margaret
Barry (National University of Ireland Galway), Dr Vashti Berry (University of Exeter), Jean Gross CBE (SEAL Community), Emma Lewis
(Heathmere Primary School), and Liz Robinson (Big Education).
Evidence Review Team: Dr Michael Wigelsworth, Lily Verity, Carla Mason, Professor Neil Humphrey, Professor Pamela Qualter
(University of Manchester).
Authors: Matthew van Poortvliet (EEF), Dr Aleisha Clarke (EIF), and Jean Gross CBE (SEAL Community).
About the Education Endowment Foundation
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is an independent charity supporting teachers and school leaders to use evidence of
what works – and what doesn’t – to improve educational outcomes, especially for disadvantaged children and young people.
About the Early Intervention Foundation
The Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) is a research charity and What Works centre established in 2013 to champion and support the
use of effective early intervention to improve the lives of children and young people at risk of experiencing poor outcomes.
Education Endowment Foundation

CONTENTS
Foreword 2
Introduction 3
What is social and emotional learning (SEL)? 4
Summary of recommendations 8
Recommendation 1 Teach SEL skills explicitly 10
Recommendation 2 Integrate and model skills through everyday teaching 18
Recommendation 3 Plan carefully for adopting a SEL programme 22
Recommendation 4 Use a ‘SAFE’ curriculum: Sequential, Active, 26

Focused and Explicit
Recommendation 5 Reinforce SEL skills through whole-school ethos and activities 30
Recommendation 6 Plan, support, and monitor SEL implementation 34
References 40
How this guidance was compiled 44
Improving social and emotional learning in primary schools 1

FOREWORD
Ask any primary school teacher, and social and emotional development. It provides a starting
they will tell you that alongside the point for schools to review their current approaches,
‘core business’ of teaching literacy and suggests practical ideas they can implement.
and numeracy, a large and often Importantly, it argues that such approaches can be
unrecognised part of their job, involves woven into everyday class teaching without creating
addressing children’s emotional, burdensome new programmes of work.
social and behavioural needs. With
the right support, children learn to To arrive at the recommendations, we reviewed the
articulate and manage their emotions, best available international research and consulted with
deal with conflict, solve problems, teachers and other experts. We identified a group of
understand things from another core skills and strategies that occur frequently in social
person’s perspective, and communicate and emotional learning programmes that have good
in appropriate ways. These ‘social evidence of impact, and suggest ways of embedding
and emotional skills’ are essential these in the classroom and beyond.
for children’s development, support
effective learning, and are linked to The international evidence in this area is extensive
positive outcomes in later life. but knowledge of how best to implement it in English
schools is not yet as strong as we would like, so
However, many schools feel that there’s little time an over-arching recommendation focuses on the
for developing such skills, given the pressure to importance of implementing and monitoring progress
improve attainment. Although all schools are expected carefully, and the requirement for school leaders to
to deliver Personal, Social, and Health Education prioritise this work if it is to have an impact. Although
(PSHE), it has not been a statutory requirement in some schools may feel social and emotional learning
the primary phase and in practice is often squeezed is ‘what we do already’, the evidence suggests that
out. Few teachers receive support on how they can how SEL is adopted and embedded really matters for
develop social and emotional skills in their mainstream children’s outcomes.
teaching. This is a missed opportunity because,
when carefully implemented, social and emotional As with all our guidance reports, this publication is
learning can increase positive just the start. We will now be working with the sector,
pupil behaviour, mental health including through our colleagues in the Research
and well-being, and academic Schools Network, to build on the recommendations
“The evidence performance. It is especially with further training, resources, and guidance. And, as
suggests that how important for children from ever, we will be looking to support and test the most
disadvantaged backgrounds, and promising programmes that put the lessons from the
SEL is adopted and other vulnerable groups, who on research into practice.
embedded really average have weaker social and
emotional skills than their peers.
matters for children’s
outcomes.” That is why we have developed
this guidance report. At a time
when schools are reviewing their
core vision and curriculum offer,
and planning to implement statutory Relationships and Sir Kevan Collins
Health education, this guidance offers six practical and Chief Executive
evidence-based recommendations to support children’s Education Endowment Foundation
2 Education Endowment Foundation

INTRODUCTION
What does this guidance cover? find the guidance relevant include other staff within
schools who are responsible for children’s social
This guidance report aims to help primary schools and emotional development (for example, PSHE
support children’s social and emotional development. coordinators or inclusion leads), local authorities,
It draws on a recent review of the evidence about multi-academy trusts, governors, parents, programme
social and emotional learning conducted by the developers, and educational researchers.
University of Manchester, which was funded by the
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the Early Acting on the guidance
Intervention Foundation (EIF). It also draws on a wider
body of evidence and expert input. The recommendations in this guidance report provide
a starting point for school leaders to critically review
Currently, most of the evidence regarding Social and how they support children’s social and emotional
Emotional Learning (‘SEL’) is focused on intervention development. This could include auditing their current
programmes with little guidance on the types of strategies approach to PSHE or Relationships and Health education
or practices that teachers can integrate into their everyday and how it links to classroom teaching, their behaviour
teaching.* The evidence review aimed to summarise what management or anti-bullying policies, or their training
is known about the former, and to conduct new analysis and support for staff. If schools have
on the latter, in order that this guidance can provide bought a SEL programme, it might
recommendations on both structured programmes and prompt them to consider if it is as
everyday teaching practices. promising as hoped, and how it might “This guidance
be implemented more effectively— provides
In addition to the evidence review, the EEF and EIF or replaced.
commissioned a survey of what primary schools in recommendations
England are currently doing to support children’s Additional resources to support on both structured
social and emotional development. This information the implementation of the
is used to provide context for the recommendations, recommendations made in this
programmes and
and to identify where there are gaps between current report will be developed. The EEF’s everyday teaching
practice and the evidence. guidance report, Putting Evidence practices.”
to Work—A School’s Guide to
More information about the report and how it was Implementation, can also support
produced is provided at the end of this guidance teachers and senior staff to apply
report. Some key references are included for those the recommendations in a practical way in their own
wishing to explore the subject in more depth. The schools. The EEF’s other guidance reports, particularly
full evidence review and survey will be published those on Behaviour, Metacognition, and Working with
separately, and will contain more comprehensive Parents are also relevant, and the EIF Guidebook
methods and reference sections. provides assessments of evidence-based SEL
programmes.
Who is this guidance for?
Schools may also want to seek support from the EEF’s
This guidance is intended for primary schools. It is national network of Research Schools. Research
aimed primarily at senior leaders who are thinking Schools aim to lead the way in the use of evidence-
about their school’s approach to social and emotional based teaching, building affiliations with large numbers
learning, and at Early Years, Key Stage 1, and Key of schools in their region, and supporting the use of
Stage 2 class teachers. Further audiences who may evidence at scale.
* By ‘programme’ we mean a structured intervention or curriculum, usually supported by a manual,

external training, resources, and timetabled delivery. By ‘practice’ we mean a flexible strategy that can be
incorporated into everyday teaching or school life, with few external inputs or formal requirements.

INTRODUCTION
What is Social and Emotional Learning?
Social and Emotional Learning refers to the process behaviour management; personal development; and
through which children learn to understand and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development.
manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel
and show empathy for others, establish and maintain Throughout this report we refer to ‘SEL’, as defined
positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.1 by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and
There are a range of other terms that schools use that Emotional Learning (CASEL), because this definition
overlap with SEL (though have different emphases), is widely used internationally. It consists of five core
including: supporting children’s mental health and competencies (see Table 1).2 These are skills that
wellbeing; character education; development of have been linked to a range of positive outcomes,3
children’s resilience; bullying prevention; life skills; as explained in more detail in the section below.
Table 1: Core Skills at the heart of SEL

Adapted From - http://secondaryguide.casel.org/#Definition
Core Definition Associated skills

competency
Self- The ability to accurately recognise • Identifying emotions

awareness one’s own emotions, thoughts • Accurate self-perception
and values and how they influence • Recognising strengths
Self-
behaviour. The ability to accurately • Self-confidence Awareness
assess one’s strengths and limitations • Self-efficacy
with a well-grounded sense of
Responsible
confidence and optimism. Self-
Decision Social, Management
Making Emotional and
The ability to successfully regulate • Impulse control Academic
Self- Learning
management one’s emotions, thoughts and • Stress management
behaviours in different situations – • Self-discipline
effectively managing stress, controlling • Self-motivation Relationship Social
Skills Awareness
impulses, and motivating oneself. • Goal setting
The ability to set and work towards • Organisational skills
personal and academic goals. Cl
as on
sro c ti
om tr u
Curriculum and Ins
Sc s
Social The ability to take the perspective of • Understanding emotions hoo ti c e
l c li m rac
a t e, P o li c i e s a n d P
awareness and empathise with others. The ability • Empathy/sympathy Fam
ips
ily a er sh
to understand social and ethical • Appreciating diversity nd Com
m u nity P a rt n
norms for behaviour and to recognise • Respect for others
family, school and community Self Management Social Awareness Relationship Skills
Self-Awareness
resources and supports. The ability to accurately The ability to successfully The ability to take the The ability to establish and
recognise one’s own emotions, regulate one’s emotions, perspective of and empathise maintain healthy relationship
thoughts and values and how thoughts and behaviours in with others. The ability to with diverse individuals and
Relationship The ability to establish and maintain they • Communication
influence behaviour. The
Diagram
different situations adapted
– effectively fromsocial
understand CASEL 2017
and ethical groups. The ability to
skills healthy relationships with diverse ability• to accurately
Social engagement
assess managing stress, controlling norms for behaviour and to communicate clearly, listen
one’s• strengths and limitations
Relationship building impulses, and motivating recognise family, school and well, cooperate with others
individuals and groups. The ability with a well-grounded sense of oneself. The ability to set and community resources and resist inappropriate social
to communicate clearly, listen • Teamwork
confidence and optimism. work towards personal and supports. pressure, negotiate conflict
well, cooperate with others, resist academic goals. constructively and seek and
offer help when needed.
inappropriate social pressure,
negotiate conflict constructively and • Identifying emotions • Impulse control • Understanding emotions • Communication
• Accurate self-perception • Stress management • Empathy/sympathy • Social engagement
seek and offer help when needed. • Recognising strengths • Self-discipline • Appreciating diversity • Relationship building
• Self-confidence • Self-motivation • Respect for others • Teamwork
• Self-efficacy • Goal setting
Responsible The ability to make constructive • Identifying problems • Organisational skills
decision choices about personal behaviour • Analysing solutions
making and social interactions. The realistic • Solving problems
evaluation of consequences of various • Evaluating
actions and a consideration of the • Reflecting
wellbeing of oneself and others. • Ethical responsibility

INTRODUCTION
Figure 1: Evidence reviews including over 700 studies show that on average SEL has a positive impact
on academic attainment, equivalent to 4 additional months’ progress.
Social and emotional learning +4

Moderate impact for moderate cost, based on extensive evidence
Why do social and emotional skills matter?
There is extensive evidence associating childhood Efforts to promote SEL skills may be especially
social and emotional skills with improved outcomes at important for children from disadvantaged backgrounds,
school and in later life, in relation to physical and mental who on average have weaker SEL skills at all ages
health, school readiness and academic achievement, than their better off peers.8 This matters for a range of
crime, employment and income.4 For example, outcomes, as lower levels of SEL skills are associated
longitudinal research in the UK has shown that good with poorer mental health and academic attainment.9
social and emotional skills—including self-regulation,
self-awareness, and social skills—developed by the There is also evidence to suggest that the benefits
age of ten, are predictors of a range of adult outcomes of SEL may extend to teachers and to the school
(age 42), such as life satisfaction and wellbeing, labour environment, including a less disruptive and more
market success, and good overall health.5 positive classroom climate, and teachers reporting
lower stress levels, higher job satisfaction, better
There is also evidence that children’s skills can be relationships with their children, and higher confidence
improved purposefully through school-based SEL in their teaching.10 For example, in one survey, 72% of
programmes, and that these impacts can persist over UK teachers said that teaching SEL had improved their
time.6 Numerous large evidence reviews7 indicate that, own relationships with their students.11
when well implemented, SEL can have positive impacts
on a range of outcomes, including: However, it is important to note that most of the
evidence to date is from the US, and how SEL is
• Improved social and emotional skills; delivered is important.12 So, schools should think
• improved academic performance (see Figure 1); carefully about how recommended approaches
apply to their own contexts. This is discussed in the
• improved attitudes, behaviour and relationships recommendations that follow.
with peers;
• reduced emotional distress (student depression,
anxiety, stress and social withdrawal);
• reduced levels of bullying;
• reduced conduct problems; and
• improved school connection.

INTRODUCTION
How does SEL relate to mental health?
Social and emotional skills are protective factors However, SEL does not replace the need for
for mental health. They equip children with the comprehensive systems and services for children
tools and resources to address mental health with mental health difficulties; rather, SEL provides
challenges that interfere with life, learning and well- a foundation that promotes the development
being (for example, difficulty regulating emotions, of competencies in all children and provides a
concentrating, and interacting with peers).13 Indeed, framework to support early intervention and intensive
recent research has shown that SEL skills at age interventions for children who need additional
nine predicted Key Stage 2 test scores at age 11 targeted help.15
(controlling for prior attainment), via their influence on
mental health difficulties in the interim.14
What does SEL look like in English schools, and how does it relate to PSHE?
There are many approaches to developing social Recommendations 5 and 6 focus on the whole school,
and emotional skills in primary schools, which can and implementing change. Schools interested in how
range from taught PSHE lessons, to whole school SEL may apply to children with Special Education
programmes, to less intensive practices that teachers Needs and Disabilities (SEND) should look out for EEF’s
integrate into their everyday teaching. These usually forthcoming guidance report on SEND.
work at three levels:
High quality PSHE education will aim to develop
• whole-school (for example, all-staff training, school- children’s skills whilst also building knowledge about
wide efforts to reduce bullying or improve school particular aspects of life, for example, physical health or
ethos); safety. PSHE can therefore provide valuable contexts in
which to teach social and emotional learning. However,
• whole-class (for example, an explicitly taught it is important that:
weekly classroom curriculum, or integrated
strategies); and • a SEL programme does not simply replace the wider
PSHE curriculum; and
• targeted (for example, individual or group-based
support for children with greater needs). • SEL is not taught as an isolated programme only in
PSHE time, without involvement or connection with
This guidance focuses on whole-school and whole- the wider staff and school.
class approaches, because targeted approaches
were outside the scope of the review, and are likely
to require more specialist input. Recommendations
1–4 particularly focus on the classroom, whilst

INTRODUCTION
What do schools currently say about SEL?
A survey of over 400 primary schools conducted by the

University of Manchester found that:16
• Many schools say that SEL is important: 46% said • Few schools reported using evidence-based
that SEL is their top priority and a further 49% believe programmes; the most commonly cited programmes
it is important alongside a number of other priorities. were ’dot-b’ mindfulness (27 schools) and FRIENDS
for Life (15 schools).
• Nearly half of schools (48%) say that they are devoting
‘much more time’ to SEL compared to five years ago, • The most commonly used approach among schools
and further third (36%) ‘somewhat more time’, citing was SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning),
higher needs among children and families, including which was developed as part of the Primary National
children ‘struggling to cope’. Strategies. 104 schools said they used SEAL
resources, and a further 74 that they had used them
• However, only a third (36%) said that dedicated previously.
planning for SEL was central to their practice.
• Many schools reported having had some training
• Schools reported barriers to delivering SEL: time is the related to SEL, but in most cases this appears to
number one issue (71%), and the pressure to focus on have been a one-off workshop, rather than ongoing
other priorities was also commonly cited (68%). support.
• Half of schools (51%) reported that they have specific • When asked what would help them deliver SEL more
time-tabled slots for SEL; the other half did not. Of effectively, schools identified training as the greatest
those that did, most spent 30–60 minutes per week on need. This was followed by the desire for a curriculum
SEL. A separate survey of teachers suggested that less and resources on SEL including ‘links to the core
than one third have any class time dedicated for SEL.17 curriculum’ and resources ‘that don’t require huge
time commitments’.
• School-wide approaches to supporting SEL (such as,
school policies, assemblies, or dedicated staff groups
with responsibility for SEL), were considered ‘central
to practice’ in around half of schools (40–60%).
These findings suggest several key areas where The guidance that follows aims to support schools in
schools might benefit from additional support, including: integrating high quality SEL throughout the school,
strategies and resources that can support SEL teaching considering the priorities and challenges that schools
(ideally without requiring large blocks of dedicated time); have identified.
information on evidence-based programmes and curricula;
and ideas for improving whole-school approaches and
planning for SEL, including staff development.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Teaching strategies Curriculum
1 2 3
Teach SEL skills explicitly Integrate and model SEL Plan carefully for adopting a
skills through everyday SEL programme
teaching
• Use a range of strategies • Model the social and emotional • Use a planned series of lessons
to teach key skills, both in behaviours you want children to to teach skills in dedicated time.
dedicated time, and in everyday adopt.
teaching. • Adopting an evidence-based
• Give specific and focused praise programme is likely to be a
• Self-awareness: expand when children display SEL skills. better bet than developing your
children’s emotional vocabulary own from scratch.
and support them to express • Do not rely on ‘crisis moments’
emotions. for teaching skills. • Explore and prepare carefully
before adopting a programme—
• Self-regulation: teach children to • Embed SEL teaching across a review what is required to deliver
use self-calming strategies and range of subject areas: literacy, it, and whether it is suitable for
positive self-talk to help deal with history, drama and PE all provide your needs and context.
intense emotions. good opportunities to link to
SEL. • Use evidence summaries (such
• Social awareness: use stories as those from EIF and EEF) as
to discuss others’ emotions and • Use simple ground-rules in a quick way of assessing the
perspectives. groupwork and classroom evidence for programmes.
discussion to reinforce SEL
• Relationship skills: role play good skills. • Once underway, regularly review
communication and listening progress, and adapt with care.
skills.
• Responsible decision-making:
teach and practise problem-
solving strategies.
Page 10 Page 18 Page 22

Whole-school Implementation
4 5 6
Plan, support, and monitor
Use a SAFE curriculum: Reinforce SEL skills through SEL implementation
Sequential, Active, whole-school ethos and
Focused and Explicit activities
S
A
F
E
• Ensure your curriculum builds • Establish schoolwide norms, • Establish a shared vision for
skills sequentially across lessons expectations and routines that SEL: ensure it is connected to
and year groups. Start early and support children’s social and rather than competing with other
think long term. emotional development. school priorities.
• Balance teacher-led activities • Align your school’s behaviour • Involve teachers and school staff
with active forms of learning, and anti-bullying policies with in planning for SEL.
such as: role-play, discussion SEL.
and small group work, to • Provide training and support
practise skills. • Seek ideas and support from to all school staff, covering:
staff and pupils in how the readiness for change;
• Focus your time: quality matters school environment can be development of skills and
more than quantity. Brief regular improved. knowledge; and support for
instruction appears more embedding change.
effective than infrequent long • Actively engage with parents
sessions. to reinforce skills in the home • Prioritise implementation
environment. quality: teacher preparedness
• Be explicit: clearly identify the and enthusiasm for SEL
skills that are being taught and are associated with better
why they are important. outcomes.
• Monitor implementation and

evaluate the impact of your
approaches.
Page 26 Page 30 Page 34

1 Teach SEL skills
explicitly
This recommendation describes simple activities, routines, and strategies that teachers can use to develop particular social
and emotional skills. Recent research suggests that supporting teachers to develop and use a repertoire of such strategies
is likely to be an efficient way of improving SEL provision without requiring large blocks of dedicated curriculum time.18 The
strategies in this chapter have been identified from evidence-based programmes, and can be used flexibly:
• as part of planned time dedicated to SEL;
• integrated into everyday class teaching; and
• to complement a more structured programme (see Recommendation 3).
Some strategies (e.g. the use of stories) may feel familiar to teachers, but the key element is in making the teaching of SEL
skills more frequent, purposeful and explicit.19 Some strategies will be easier to align with everyday class teaching; others will
fit more naturally into standalone PSHE sessions.
The recommendation is focused around the five core SEL skills described in the introduction to this guidance. In each case
we describe what is meant by the skill, why it matters, and strategies and examples that could be used for developing the skill.
It is important to note that whilst there is growing research promoting such strategies, and they have been drawn from
evidence-based approaches, they have not been evaluated as standalone strategies, so schools need to judge which
approaches are suitable for them and are effective in their contexts.
A. Strategies to enhance children’s self-awareness
What do we mean by self-awareness?
Self-awareness is concerned with the ability to is associated with reduced difficulties in social
recognise our emotions and thoughts, and to functioning and fewer externalising problems, in
understand how they influence our behaviour. It also particular aggression.20 Two areas that teachers can
means being aware of our strengths and having a support are children’s knowledge of emotions, and
belief in oneself (‘self efficacy’). Good self-awareness ability to express emotions.
Examples of activities used to develop children’s self-awareness
Knowledge of emotions
Teachers can help children label and recognise • using games to develop children’s vocabulary e.g.
emotions through explicit vocabulary teaching (‘putting miming activities where children guess a feeling that
feelings into words’), and activities that give children is being portrayed (‘emotional charades’); and
the opportunity to practise using this language in real
contexts through games, stories, and other activities. • using mirrors, photographs and pictures to talk
For example: about what happens to people’s faces and bodies
when they are experiencing particular emotions:
• using story books to discuss how characters feel for example, children might match photographs
and why; displaying different emotions with emotion labels
and scenario labels.

Emotional expression
Children’s ability to recognise and express emotions • explaining to children that all feelings are okay, but
can be supported with a class display, which is the behaviours they lead to may not be okay. It is
regularly referenced (see Box 1). Teachers can also okay to feel angry, for example, but not okay to act
develop children’s ability to tell others how they are in ways that hurt others.
feeling by, for example:
• teaching them to use ‘I’ messages (articulating how

you feel and why): ‘I feel x because…’
• providing supportive prompts to children who have

difficulty talking about their emotions, such as: ‘It
looks like you might be feeling sad, can you tell me
what happened?’. The simple act of naming the
emotion can help children understand it more clearly.
Box 1: Feelings display

Create a ‘feelings display’ in the classroom (for Feelings wheel: to support explicit teaching and
example, feelings tree with the leaves as different practice of new vocabulary
feelings words, emoticon board, feelings wheel,
poster or dictionary). The teacher can introduce the
vocabulary in the display, and then use the display in
many ways on an ongoing basis, for example:
Excited
Energetic
Nervous
y
• ‘You feel happy? Is there another word on our

Te
pp
feelings tree that you could use?’ Ecstatic

Wa mpa
d
nd
Bouncy
fie
Sy
rm
lfill nt
Ha
tis
ed
nte
-he tic
• ‘We have learned a new feelings word today–

Lo d
d
Sa
er
ase
Co
art
What does it mean to feel frustrated? Can you

vin
Kin
the
Fu
ed
Ple
think of a time you might feel frustrated?’
Teachers can also use the display to support

Jit se
Blu
An ery
Do ey
emotional expression, for example, by having

Ten
rifi s
d
De
Mo ssed
u
e
ed
t
wn
xio
pre
children place their name or photo on a relevant

are
Upset
p
Sa
Ter
emotion within the feelings display to indicate how Furious

d
Sc
they are feeling when they come into the classroom Irritated
in the morning, or at the start of the afternoon.21 Frustrated
Teachers may also make reference to the display in
describing their own emotions: ‘This is beginning to
Angry
make me frustrated, because you’re talking whilst I
am trying to explain something important to you.’

B. Strategies to enhance children’s self-management
What do we mean by self-management and emotional self-regulation?
The terms ‘self-management’ and ‘self-regulation’ refer • control impulses.

to the ability to understand and regulate our emotions,
thoughts, and behaviours in different situations. It The development of self-regulation skills enables
includes being able to: children to behave in socially acceptable ways by, for
example, giving them the ability to take turns, share,
• regulate or manage reactions to emotions like and express emotions (such as anger or frustration)
frustration, anxiety, or excitement; in appropriate ways.22 Self regulation of emotions
complements self-regulated learning, which is
• calm down after something exciting or upsetting; discussed in EEF guidance reports on Metacognition
and Preparing for Literacy.
• focus on a task; and
Examples of activities used to develop children’s self-regulation skills
• Brainstorm together ways in which children might • Recognise body cues. Help children to become
deal with strong emotions, for example, by counting aware of early physiological signs of strong emotions
to ten, walking away, telling someone how you feel and encourage them to talk about how they are
and why, asking someone for help. feeling. Examples of physiological signs include:
heart beating, face getting hot, sweaty palms, knees
• Teach children self-calming strategies. For example: or hands shaking, tone of voice, facial expression,
show children how they can use deep breathing to and rapid breathing.
calm themselves (see Box 2 for an example).
• Use images and metaphors to help children’s
• Teach children positive self-talk. When children understanding (see Box 2). For example, children
experience a strong emotion such as anger, often might watch a balloon blown up until it bursts, or
there is an underlying thought (self-talk) accompanying learn about volcanic eruptions, then discuss how
this emotion which intensifies how they are feeling they might notice angry feelings building up inside
(“I’ve been left out…no one likes me”). When self- themselves, and make a class poster of steps they
talk is negative, children can get angry, frustrated, or can take to avoid an ‘anger explosion’.
anxious more easily. Teach children to use positive-
self talk (helpful thoughts) to calm their emotions.
Box 2: Self-calming strategy

The ‘Turtle Technique’ is a strategy that is taught formally in evidence-based prevention programs such as the Incredible Years
and PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies). The aim is to help children calm themselves when they feel angry. It is
based on empirical observations of the relationship among physiological measures, behaviour, and children’s emotional states.23
It involves the teacher explaining to children how a turtle can retreat into its shell, and suggest they can do this too when they are
angry (perhaps putting their head down, or holding themselves). In their shell, they can take three deep breaths and think calming
thoughts, such as: ‘I can calm down.’ They come out of their shell when calm and ready to think of solutions to the problem. An
adaptation for older children (Key Stage 2) has been called ‘Fingers Linked, Time to Think’.

C. Strategies to enhance children’s social awareness
What do we mean by social awareness?
Social awareness refers to the ability to understand positive development and mental health of children.24
the perspective of others and empathise. In the early Longitudinal research has shown that good social
years of life, children are naturally more egocentric skills—including high levels of empathy—developed
and more inclined to think about themselves and by the age of ten, are predictors of a range of adult
their own needs. Understanding the perspectives outcomes (age 42), such as life satisfaction and
of others and developing a sense of empathy are wellbeing, labour market success, and good
considered fundamental building blocks for the overall health.25
Examples of activities and strategies used to develop children’s social awareness
Identifying another person’s emotions and perspective
• Use ‘hot seating’, in which one child plays a • Use literature, poetry, film and real-life accounts to
character and the rest of the class asks them help children understand the feelings of those who
questions about their feelings and how those feel bullied, or different, or lonely, or what it feels like
feelings influence the choices they make. to experience difficult events. Ask if they have ever
felt the same way.26 (See Box 3 for an example.)
• Circle time. Use everyday classroom scenarios during
circle time to explore how awareness of the feelings • Encourage self-reflective questioning—such as,
of others can help to develop children’s empathy ‘What would I have done in that situation?’ This
skills e.g. ‘Paul forgot his lunch today, how does this is a metacognitive technique that allows children
make him feel?’; ‘I (the teacher) was running late for to evaluate actions, promotes self-reflection, and
school this morning, how do you think this made me develops their use of self-talk. This is commonly
feel? How could you tell I was flustered?’ taught in evidence-based SEL programmes.27
Box 3: Discuss what it means to be an ally

Ask children to each write about a situation where they have experienced a strong emotion. After doing this, ask children to swap
accounts and write a brief summary of what emotion the other child was feeling. Working together, they then record three things
an ally could do to help someone in that situation. To draw connections with other subjects, in a follow-up history lesson, they
could consider what it means to be an ally to another nation, and how this is different or similar to being an ally to someone in
school. This example is drawn from the Second Step programme.28

D. Strategies to enhance children’s relationship skills
What do we mean by relationship skills?

Relationship skills are concerned with our ability
to interact positively with peers and adults, and to
effectively navigate social situations.29 It is important
that children learn to recognise, express and regulate
their emotions before they can be expected to interact
successfully with others.
Examples of activities and strategies used to develop children’s relationship skills
Communication skills
• The teacher can begin by demonstrating poor • Children in pairs can role-play scenarios and
communication techniques and the class can identify ways in which they can improve their
discuss some of the issues with the teacher’s form communication skills. Sample scenarios include
of communication—for example, arms folded, not trying to join in a game out in the playground, trying
looking at the person they are speaking to, being to get the teacher’s attention in class, or talking to a
distracted while talking, shouting at the person, parent whilst playing on a phone.
interrupting them, rolling eyes, mumbling, shrugging
shoulders, and so on. • Children can identify and practise the skills
needed for working in groups and teams—such
• Children can brainstorm and model good as building on one another’s contributions, making
communication techniques—for example, sure everyone can contribute, probing to check
appropriate eye contact, not distracted, using facial understanding, and trying to reach a shared
expressions or nodding to demonstrate you’re agreement. They can use sentence stems —such
listening, not interrupting the person when they are as ‘I agree because...’, ‘I disagree because…’—to
speaking, seeking clarification, asking a question support their discussions.
or giving an opinion when the other person has
finished speaking, and summarising what they have
said and checking you have got it right.

Box 4: Class rules
There is evidence that when students are actively involved in developing the class rules and norms, they
are likely to take greater responsibility for following them.30 Teachers can draft class rules together with
the children, which set out the behaviours and expectations that are important for the class—for example,
listening when others are speaking, taking turns, being willing to work together, and respecting different
opinions. This might include getting children to generate ideas and discussing the pros and cons of different
rules and why they are important. This is a good activity to do at the start of the year with a new class, but
can also be re-visited during the year, particularly to address issues that arise. This activity is used in a
programme called Incredible Years—Teacher Classroom Management.
Relationship building
• Role play can be used to demonstrate ways to • Group work can be used to practise skills in a new
interact with friends in different circumstances—for context. For example, have students partner up
example, introducing yourself, taking turns, asking and work on projects together, assign them a task,
to share, or dealing with conflict. Scenarios involving and remind them about good communication and
joining a new class, or club, and welcoming listening skills.
newcomers to such a group, can also be explored.
• Discussing the rules of the classroom can be a
• Circle time is a useful means to discuss useful way for developing communication and
relationship-building and accepting difference with relationship skills, as well as wider SEL skills (see
children. The class could, for example, discuss a) Box 4).
ways in which we can make new friends; b) what
makes a good friend and how we can show we are
being a good friend to someone else; c) how can
we be a friend to someone who is left out, ignored,
or teased; and d) what are the things we do that
can damage a friendship?

E. Strategies to enhance children’s responsible decision making
What do we mean by responsible decision making?
Responsible decision making is concerned with Children who employ appropriate problem-solving
children’s ability to problem solve and make strategies play more constructively, have better
constructive choices. In order to do this, children need relationships with peers and are more cooperative at
to learn how to evaluate a situation, think about possible home and school.31 Children can be taught to use
solutions and consider the potential consequences of appropriate problem-solving strategies that improve
these options for themselves and others. their decision-making processes.32
Problem-solving strategy
Problem solving involves using the emotional 4. Pick a solution. Encourage children to pick a
identification and communication strategies discussed solution. When thinking about a good solution, ask
earlier. Here are steps to problem-solving that you can questions such as: ‘Is this a safe solution? Is it fair?
teach children, drawn from a range of evidence-based Does it lead to good feelings?’ It might be helpful
SEL programmes:33 to create some solution cards that you can discuss
with them, such as: ‘Ask someone for help’; ‘Shout’;
1. Identify the problem. Help children to articulate ‘Say sorry’; ‘Walk away’; ‘Tell the other person how
the problem out loud—for example, ‘You don’t have you are feeling and why’; ‘Ask nicely’ and so on.
anyone to play with?’. Help children to think about
how this is making them feel, and to understand the 5. Test it out. Encourage children to try out their
feelings of other people involved in the situation. solution and see what happens. If it doesn’t work
out, they can try another solution from the list
2. Brainstorm solutions. Help children to generate developed. Give children lots of support if the
solutions to the problem situation. Young children solution does not work.
may not be able to come up with their own solutions,
but teachers can support their thinking with It is best to begin problem solving when children are
questions such as ‘What could we do to make the calm and relaxed. If a child is very anxious or angry,
situation better? / What kinds of things could you do help them to calm down first (quiet time, taking deep
that would help you and the other people involved to breaths) or leave problem-solving for another day
feel better?’ With practice, children will gradually be when you know the child is ready to participate. When
able to come up with more of their own solutions. you encounter behavioural issues in your classroom,
try to resolve them together using a problem-solving
3. Identify the pros and cons of each solution. approach. Where a child has behaved inappropriately,
Help children identify potential positive and re-run the scenario with them later to help them
negative consequences for each potential identify alternative courses of action. Box 5 provides an
solution they identified. example related to problem solving and goal setting.

Box 5: Identifying barriers to goals, and how to overcome them
This activity starts with the teacher providing a written vignette detailing a goal and a problem preventing the
goal from being reached. Children then work together to identify the goal, identify the barrier and identify how
the character is feeling.34 They may also brainstorm potential solutions.
The approach can then be extended to apply to the children themselves, and a goal they have at school:
1) children start by identifying a feasible goal they wish to achieve in the coming weeks;
2) they then reflect on achieving the outcome;
3) they then identify a likely barrier to them achieving it; and
4) plan for what they would do if that barrier arose – ‘if x obstacle arises, then I will do y’.
This framework has been described as ‘Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan’ (‘WOOP’). There is evidence from
small trials that helping children to set goals, identify potential barriers, and anticipate ‘if…then…’ solutions in
this way can lead to better outcomes than a comparison group who are encouraged simply to think positively
about achieving goals.35

2 Integrate and model SEL skills
through everyday teaching
Recommendation 1 provided example strategies that schools can use to develop social and emotional skills
through explicit teaching—explaining the strategies themselves. This Recommendation provides ideas on
how to embed such skills in the course of everyday teaching. The end goal of SEL is that children use the
knowledge and skills they are taught as part of their daily interactions with peers and adults. The teaching of
skills is therefore likely to have greater and longer-term impacts when it is integrated into everyday classroom
interactions, and across subjects, than when skills are taught in isolation.36 Teachers and other school staff
can support children’s skill development by purposefully seeking out opportunities to model, recognise, and
practise SEL skills.
Model the behaviours you want children to adopt
In addition to explicit teaching, children learn by The EEF’s guidance report on Metacognition and
observing other people, getting ideas about how new Self-Regulated Learning provides examples of how
behaviours are formed, and using the ideas to guide teachers can use modelling to reveal the thinking
their actions.37 Teachers navigate stressful situations processes of an expert learner. Similarly, teachers
nearly every day, and children are watching, and can model their own thinking and feelings explicitly
learning from the way teachers manage frustration, as they approach a task or respond to a situation to
maintain control of themselves and the classroom, reveal the processes that support effective decision-
and stay focused in the face of distractions.38 making and interaction. For example, when faced with
Modelling—or demonstrating appropriate a problem—classroom IT that is needed for an activity
behaviours—teaches and enhances children’s social but isn’t functioning correctly—the teacher might
and emotional skills.39 How teachers and other model aloud the immediate response of frustration,
adults in school speak to each other, to parents and and demonstrate the problem-solving approach,
to children—demonstrating attentive listening, for staying calm, taking a deep breathe, thinking through
example, or how to speak to someone who is upset— the options aloud, and coming up with a solution for a
can model a respectful relationship. new activity.

Use ‘teachable moments’ for embedding skills
Even more than academic skills, social and emotional • give specific and focused praise on seeing children
skills develop in the context of daily life as social applying SEL learning—for example, ‘I noticed
challenges and other teaching opportunities arise.40 that you managed to calm yourself in a difficult
School staff can use real life classroom and playground situation....Well done!’. Using language that builds
situations to apply SEL strategies and skills in ‘real- children’s self-efficacy draws their attention to
time’, providing opportunities for using the example strategies they have used to help themselves.
strategies set out in Recommendation 1. For example,
a teacher or other adult might: Paying attention to positive behaviours is an effective
strategy for reinforcing skills,41 and it is relatively easy
• support children to think through others’ to build into the everyday classroom environment. This
perspectives and use specific problem-solving skills can be supplemented by recognition and rewards
during a disagreement in the playground; related to positive social and emotional behaviour.42
• encourage the class to discuss and try to solve

ongoing problems that are affecting the whole
group—for example, some children feeling excluded
or ignored; or
Do not rely on ‘crisis moments’ for teaching skills
In busy schools we often do not think explicitly about Although it can be difficult to make time, taking a
children’s social and emotional skills until a problem preventative approach—discussing issues such as
arises (such as an incident of bullying). While such bullying before they arise, and providing children with
problems can provide important contexts for teaching strategies they can draw on —is likely to make crisis
and reinforcing skills, if they are the only time that moments easier to deal with when they do arise, and
skills are discussed, children may perceive skills to be lead to more effective resolutions.
solely about avoiding poor behaviour. Such individual
incidents can also be sensitive and difficult for
communicating broader lessons.

Embed SEL teaching across subject areas
Teaching SEL skills in the context of the wider • In PE children might explore the features of effective
curriculum is engaging and helps children to apply teamwork, or discuss what it feels like to lose a
what they have learnt. The suggestion here is not game and how to respond constructively.
to replace core curriculum teaching on knowledge
and skills, but to identify opportunities for linking • In drama, a rehearsal can provide opportunities
and embedding SEL skills in ways that complement for role-play, and practice of emotional expression,
everyday teaching. Many areas of the curriculum offer such as how we convey or recognise emotions.
opportunities for SEL. For example:
Teachers report that integrating SEL into academic
• In English lessons, children can use stories as content is associated with improved learning, and that
the basis for discussing characters’ feelings and integrating SEL across a range of subjects appears
motivations, extending a normal inference activity to be more likely when teachers are involved in
(see Box 6). introducing the SEL provision in their school (rather
than having it imposed as a school policy, when SEL is
• In history lessons children can develop an more likely to be taught only in discrete time).43
understanding of others’ perspectives and feelings
based on real events. For example, when studying
Second World War evacuees, children might
discuss or write about what it must have been like to
leave home and live with a new family.
Provide support for effective group work and classroom talk
The effects of SEL work can be amplified through emotional skills, including grappling with multiple
classrooms that help children to practise their skills in perspectives, communicating effectively, and
their everyday interactions.44 For example, collaborative disagreeing respectfully. Teachers can support
(or cooperative) learning approaches may be particularly this by establishing ground rules for talk, as well as
beneficial for supporting pupils’ peer interactions.45 acting as guide and facilitator by using well-designed
Such approaches typically involve pupils working questions to draw out students’ thinking, modelling
together on activities or learning tasks in groups small effective communication, and supporting children to
enough for everyone to participate on a collective build on one another’s contributions. For example, a
task that has been clearly assigned. The impact of ground-rule during a discussion could be: ‘you need
collaborative approaches on learning is consistently to reference a class-mate’s name and contribution in
positive, with approaches promoting talk and interaction your response…’ to encourage active listening and
between learners linked to greater gains.46 a cumulative dialogue. There is evidence that such
approaches to improving the quality of classroom talk
Structured whole-class discussion also provides can improve academic and non-academic outcomes
opportunities for students to practise social and (see Box 7 for an example).47

Box 6: Identifying others’ emotions and perspectives—linking SEL and reading comprehension
To connect the characters and situations in a book with the children’s experiences, the Year 3 teacher plans to read a
passage from the book at least twice. During the second reading, he asks questions that a) increase children’s emotional
vocabulary; b) prompt reflective self-questioning; and c) ask children to link the story to their own circumstances:
• ‘What do you think the characters are feeling?’
• ‘How can you tell they are feeling this way?’
• ‘How would you solve the problem?’
• ‘Can you use words from the story to explain how you feel when you…?’
• ‘What could we do differently if this happens in our classroom?’
Such open-ended questions enable children to link fictional texts to their own experiences, learn new vocabulary, and practise
applying social and emotional skills. Any negative responses (for example, fighting as an appropriate response) should be
talked through and alternative positive responses provided. Children can reflect upon and share similar experiences. As an
extension, children could then rewrite the story to show how they would have reacted to the problem. This example is based
on a range of evidence-based programmes that use stories and scenarios to prompt reflection and discussion.
Box 7: Philosophy for Children
In Philosophy for Children (P4C), structured group discussions are prompted by a stimulus (for example, a story or a video) and
are based around a concept such as ‘truth’, ‘fairness’, or ‘bullying’. The aim of P4C is to help children become more willing
and able to ask questions, construct arguments, and engage in reasoned discussion. P4C is not normally thought of as a ‘SEL
programme’, however many of the discussion topics are very relevant to SEL, and teachers and pupils involved have reported
that it has had a beneficial impact on outcomes such as pupils’ confidence to speak, patience when listening to others, self-
esteem, communication and teamwork.48 There is also evidence that P4C has an impact on academic outcomes, including
reading and maths.49 This is currently being tested through a large EEF evaluation in primary schools.

3 Plan carefully for adopting
a SEL programme
Recommendations 1 and 2 focused on flexible teaching strategies that can be adapted to schools’ needs.
This recommendation focuses on structured programmes as a way of delivering a SEL curriculum—as such
they can be a ‘vehicle’ for introducing a wide range of practices and strategies, such as those mentioned in
Recommendations 1 and 2, in a planned and prescribed way.
There is extensive international evidence that teaching SEL through planned programmes can have a positive
impact on children’s attitudes to learning, relationships in school, academic attainment, and a range of other
outcomes. However, not all programmes are effective, and care needs to be taken by schools in selecting
and implementing an approach that is suitable to their needs and context: planning is also needed to ensure
the quality of delivery.
Use a planned series of lessons to teach skills in dedicated time
Typically, ‘social and emotional learning programmes’ Common characteristics of SEL programmes include:
are delivered to all children in a classroom, usually
by the class teachers, and consist of a series of • an explicit curriculum of scheduled lessons;
lessons on topics such as identifying and labelling
feelings, controlling impulses, and understanding • a teacher’s handbook or manual (ranging from
the perspective of others. They are often introduced broad principles to heavily scripted);
in the context of specific topics, such as: bullying,
friendship, health education, and staying safe (see • resources (such as worksheets) for use with a whole
Box 8 for an example).50 class; and
• a lesson structure (indicating a sequenced and

regular progression).

Consider the pros and cons of a ‘bought in’ programme versus a bespoke approach
A question facing most schools is whether to buy should consider carefully—they are likely to be a better
in a structured SEL programme (usually a named bet than adopting a programme without evidence,
intervention with training and materials), or develop creating a new approach for your school from scratch,
their own approach. The benefits of buying in a or doing nothing. For an overview of evidence-based
programme are that it should provide a coherent programmes, schools can use the Early Intervention
ready-made curriculum that is informed by theory and Foundation Guidebook.
evidence.51 The challenge is that such programmes are
typically more prescriptive, so may be more difficult to Some schools, however, will want to construct their
fit into the time available or may not fit with the specific own curriculum, building on their existing effective
context and needs of each school. practice and tailored to their particular context. In this
case it will be important to ensure coverage of the
Overall, there is good evidence that structured SEL core skills at the heart of SEL (self-awareness, self-
programmes have a positive impact on children’s management, social awareness, relationship skills,
outcomes.52 Seven large evidence reviews suggest responsible decision making) in a carefully sequenced
that, on average, these programmes have positive progression that follows the SAFE principles described
impacts on outcomes including social and emotional in Recommendation 4. Schools should also balance
skills, attitudes, behaviour, emotional distress, and the potential limitations—the time taken to create a
academic achievement. As such, SEL programmes programme, and limited evidence—against the benefits
represent an evidence-based approach that schools of increased tailoring and flexibility.

Plan carefully before adopting a programme
Despite the good evidence of promise for SEL deliver it with quality.
programmes overall, the impact of individual
programmes varies substantially: simply adopting Table 2 provides tips for selecting an effective SEL
a SEL programme—even one with a strong track programme, and questions that schools should ask
record—is not a guarantee of success. Some recent before doing so. Successful implementation also
evaluations of SEL programmes in England, such as requires ongoing review and response: intelligently
PATHS and FRIENDS for Life, have not reproduced adapting or tweaking delivery to fit your context, while
the positive impacts that have been reported remaining faithful to the core ‘essential ingredients’
previously (see Box 8 for an example).53 It is therefore of the programme. This is discussed further in
especially important to identify an approach that fits Recommendation 6, and for more information see
your needs and context, consider whether and how EEF’s guide Putting Evidence to Work—A School’s
your school can implement it, and to plan carefully to Guide to Implementation.
Box 8: The promise and challenge of SEL programmes — PATHS
Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) aims to develop self-control, emotional understanding,
positive self-esteem, relationships and interpersonal problem-solving among children aged 4–11. This
is primarily delivered through a taught curriculum by the class teacher (approximately twice a week
throughout the year), with lessons on topics such as identifying and labelling feelings, controlling impulses
and understanding the perspectives of others. Teachers receive one and a half days’ training plus ongoing
support. The curriculum is supplemented by activities that help children apply the lessons throughout the day,
and provides links to the home environment.
Overall, PATHS has a strong international evidence base, including over ten RCTs.54 However, not all
evaluations of PATHS have been positive, and the quality of implementation seems to be important for
outcomes. Three trials in the UK have found small and inconsistent effects. Of these, the most recent
trial in 45 primary schools found ‘tentative evidence’ that PATHS improved some outcomes (social skills,
perceptions of peer and social support, well-being, and reductions in exclusion), and represented value
for money.55 However, the evaluation was also cautious about the size and duration of these impacts.
Implementation was a challenge: teachers struggled to fit all the PATHS lessons into their timetables,
delivering lessons at half the recommended frequency. There was evidence that higher quality delivery of the
programme was associated with improved tests scores at Key Stage 2 (though this could have been due to
better quality teaching overall rather than to PATHS).56
In summary: the international evidence base for PATHS is strong, but in UK primary schools it is more
tentative—quality of implementation appears important for outcomes, but is challenging to achieve given busy
timetables. See Table 2 and Recommendation 6 for responses to this challenge.

M T W T F
Table 2: Tips for selecting an effective programme—explore and prepare
What to do Questions to ask
• Identify your own aims and needs as a school. • What social and emotional skills do we want to prioritise
• Assess children’s SEL needs. as a school?
• Audit your current activities and identify priorities. • What needs do our children have?
• What is currently working well and not well?
• Look at the strength of evidence for potential • Has this approach been evaluated previously?
programmes or approaches you’re considering: see the • If so, how, where, on which age groups, and with what
EIF Guidebook, and EEF evaluations for evidence on outcomes?
some well-known programmes. • How similar is that context to my own?
• Review the programme content before adopting the • What is the focus of the programme?
approach to ensure that it matches your needs and • What do activities consist of?
priority areas for development. • How do they match our school priorities/needs?
• Check sample activities and lesson plans (include • Does it follow the SAFE principles
teacher views in this assessment). (see Recommendation 4)?
• Consider piloting in one or two classes before adopting. • Is delivery feasible in our context?
• Are teachers committed and enthusiastic?
• Be clear about the time required for staff training and • What training is required for staff?
development. • Who needs to attend?
• Seek staff views on feasibility of implementation. • When and for how long?
• Ensure you can commit the time required to implement • How will we make time?
the programme as it was intended. • Who will deliver the programme, and how often?
• Develop an action plan to support implementation. • What additional/ongoing support is required to ensure
• Ensure you can achieve buy-in from all relevant participants. effective delivery? Can we provide this?

4
S
Use a SAFE curriculum: Sequential, A
F
Active, Focused and Explicit E
As Recommendation 3 makes clear, evidence to date on SEL supports the use of dedicated lessons
that provide step-by-step instructions to teach social and emotional competencies. These can be
effectively provided through an ‘off the shelf’ programme. An alternative approach is to develop your own
curriculum, focused on the core SEL skills and drawing on the evidence-informed practices described in
Recommendations 1 and 2. Whichever approach you adopt, ensuring your approach to SEL is Sequenced,
Active, Focused and Explicit (‘SAFE’) is likely to improve outcomes. These principles are summarised in Box 9
and discussed further below.
Box 9: SAFE principles
In an analysis of 213 school-based SEL programmes,57 those that followed four key principles were found to
have larger impacts on children’s outcomes than those that did not.
1. Sequenced activities that lead in a coordinated and connected way to skill development. New behaviours
and more complicated skills usually need to be broken down into smaller steps and sequentially mastered.
2. Active forms of learning that enable young people to practise and master new skills. This might include
role play or behavioural rehearsal.
3. Focused time spent developing one or more social and emotional skills. Sufficient time and attention must
be allocated for children to practise applying knowledge and skills.
4. Explicitly define and target specific skills. Programmes should identify specific skills that they want children
to develop, and teach these purposefully, rather than having a more general approach. See Recommendation
1 for more detail on specific skills.

Sequential
Active
Focussed
Explicit
Sequence lessons to build skills progressively
As with any learning, new knowledge and more SEL programmes. It involves revisiting key concepts
complicated skills need to be broken down into smaller progressively in age-appropriate contexts as children
steps and sequentially mastered. Schools’ teaching get older, so that they are recalled and embedded.
of SEL should therefore aim to develop skills that are
developmentally appropriate for each year group, in a Table 3 shows how a particular area of social and
coordinated and connected way. emotional learning (the ability to recognise and
understand feelings) might evolve and become
‘Sequencing’ refers both to the development of content increasingly sophisticated across age groups. The
within each year, and across year groups. A ‘spiral strategies used to teach and practise the skills would
curriculum’ is a common feature of evidence-based also vary by age.
Table 3: SEL key strategy—Recognising, labelling and understanding feelings
Y3 and Y4
Can identify, express and

predict an increasingly Y5 and Y6
complex range of feelings
Y1 and Y2 (for example frustrated,
hopeful, hopeless,
Can identify and disappointed, guilty.) Can identify, express and
express a wider predict a broad range of
range of feelings (such feelings (such as
as, anxious, proud or ashamed, embarrassed,
jealous). Can understand and ecstatic, agitated,
use words representing despairing, defensive,
different intensities of nervous). Can
emotions (for example, understand and express
from irritated to furious). mixed feelings.
Nursery/Reception
Can identify and

express basic
emotions - happy
sad, angry, worried
or scared

Use active forms of learning
A series of SEL lessons might include a range associated with greater impacts, including interactive
of pedagogical strategies such as teacher-led methods such as games, simulations, and small
instruction, written worksheets and discussion of group work, which help children to practise using
a stimulus (eg, a story or video). Evidence on SEL skills in real contexts.58
suggests that in combination with these approaches,
it is particularly active forms of learning that have been
Focus your time
Currently, less than a third of primary school teachers interventions. Most evidence suggests SEL
say that they have time dedicated to teaching SEL.59 lessons should run for a year, with embedding,
Increasing this time is likely to be beneficial, though repetition, and increasing challenge in subsequent
there are a number of considerations to balance what is year groups. An exception to this rule is that
effective and what is practically feasible: some positive effects have been demonstrated in
programmes operating for 8-10 weeks for specific
• Frequency and lesson length: aim for 30–60 skills or for specific groups of pupils.61
minutes per week. SEL programmes with stronger
evidence typically involve around one hour per week • Quality matters more than quantity. Increasing the
of instruction and practice. There is variation in how quantity of explicit SEL teaching beyond one hour per
these are structured: some programmes deliver week is unlikely to be feasible for most teachers. In
10–15 minutes per day, others recommend two fact, programmes requiring more than 75 minutes per
sessions per week of 30 minutes. There is evidence week for explicit teaching have been linked to weaker
that such regular instruction is more effective than impacts than programmes spending less than 75
infrequent long sessions.60 minutes per week.62 Some evaluations have found that
quality of delivery (defined as teacher preparedness
• Duration of programme: think long term. and enthusiasm) matters more to outcomes than the
There is little evidence to support very brief SEL quantity (number of lessons delivered).63

Sequential
Active
Focussed
Explicit
Be explicit about the skills you want children to develop
There is a great deal of variation in how SEL explicit: it is important that children know what they
programmes can be designed and delivered, for are being expected to learn.65 For example, specific
example, in the length and intensity of programme, efforts to develop children’s awareness of emotions
focus or relative importance of a particular skill. (for example, by learning and practising the use of
However, efforts are not likely to be effective if they vocabulary related to emotions) are likely to be more
are based on loose guidelines and broad principles.64 beneficial in terms of skill development than a broader
Schools need to be clear about which skills they are initiative on ‘promoting well-being’. Recommendation 1
setting out to develop, and these skills should be made highlights specific skills that are worth focusing on.

5 Reinforce SEL skills through whole-school
ethos and activities
When messages, routines and strategies are aligned across the classroom and whole-school setting,
students learn and apply social and emotional skills more rapidly and more effectively.66 A large review
of evidence related to SEL concludes that going beyond the curriculum to consider the whole school (for
example, changes to school ethos, professional development, liaison with parents, community involvement,
and coordinated work with outside agencies) is needed for maximising positive impacts.67
However, the evidence underpinning the effectiveness of whole school approaches to SEL is less strong than
the adoption of classroom-based SEL interventions;68 they are also more challenging to implement due to the
number and complexity of school systems that need to be addressed. Nonetheless, whole school practices
can be developed incrementally, with commitment from senior leadership, clarity about aims, starting small
and with realistic expectations.69
Establishing schoolwide expectations for SEL
Schoolwide norms and expectations are a set of the norms. In order for this to happen they should be
agreed-upon principles that outline how everyone will developed collaboratively with staff, pupils and parents
behave and interact. Principles that take into account (see box 10 for an example).
children’s SEL development help to create a common
language around how all staff and children will support When deciding on schoolwide norms, think about:
each other socially and emotionally, for example, ‘We what type of school do you want to be a part of, what
listen to each other. We treat others as we want to be might it looks like, how might people interact with each
treated.’ other, solve problems, communicate, express their
emotions, respect others? Look to frame schoolwide
Norms that simply hang on a poster in the classroom norms in a positive manner rather than focusing on
or school corridor will not create a positive school what not to do. When you have agreed your school’s
environment on their own; they need to be discussed norms, they can be embedded into school-wide
and used to guide interactions and behaviour. Teachers systems for recognition and reward.71
and pupils must understand and be committed to
Box 10: School councils
Recommendation 1 provided the example of ‘class rules’—with evidence that rules are more likely to be
followed when children have been involved in developing them. Similarly, at a whole-school level, involving
children in ‘school councils’ or ‘action groups’ with representatives from each class could be an effective way
of creating shared values across the school, and identifying and addressing issues that affect socio-emotional
development.
There has been little evaluation of school councils in primary schools to date. However, in a recent
randomised trial of one SEL programme in 40 English secondary schools, a school ‘action group’ (comprising
at least 6 pupils and 6 staff, meeting twice per term) was used to review and revise school-wide policies
that could improve the school environment. Together with staff training in restorative practices and a SEL
curriculum, this programme of support was found to lead to reductions in bullying, and increases in pupil
well-being.70

SEL routines
School routines are important opportunities to • Classes use circle time at the start or end of the day
introduce and reinforce SEL skills taught in the as an opportunity to share news and warm up for
classroom. Here are examples of whole-school the day ahead or reflect on the day. This helps to
routines commonly used across evidence-based SEL build a sense of community and practise social and
programmes: emotional skills
• Regular school assemblies are devoted to children’s • There are school-wide systems for noticing and
social and emotional development, encouraging reinforcing examples of SEL skills being put
the use of particular skills or strategies for the week into practice, for example, using points, peer
ahead. There might, for example, be a focus on nominations, praise postcards, or certificates sent
helping others or respecting differences. home.
Changes to the school environment
The school’s physical environment can help children • providing areas in the playground where children can
apply their social and emotional learning through, for go to calm down, or spaces where they can use the
example: problem-solving process to resolve conflicts, with
support from an adult or trained peer mediators.
• providing ‘worry boxes’ in which children can post
any worries they may have, and ask for help from an
adult; and
Check behaviour and anti-bullying policies are aligned with your approach to SEL
When thinking about whole school strategies, it is that you are a ‘no shouting school’. Anti-bullying
important to reflect on how your school’s behaviour policies can also be aligned with SEL through sessions
and anti-bullying policies align with your other work focused on empathy and perspective-taking, or
on SEL. Behaviour policies which are supportive and considering the role of bystanders when bullying takes
reinforce SEL development lead to better behavioural place (see Box 11).
outcomes, positive student teacher-relationships and a
more positive school climate.72 In contrast to this, there The EEF’s guidance report Improving Behaviour in
is some evidence that harsh, punitive, and exclusionary Schools provides more information that can support
approaches to behaviour problems can have a negative schools’ planning for SEL. For example, Figure 2
impact on students social, emotional, behavioural and provides a framework for developing a consistent,
academic outcomes.73 school-wide approach to integrating social and
emotional development with behaviour management,
Aligning behaviour policies with SEL development illustrating SEL skill-development as the foundation
could include:74 helping children understand the for good behaviour. As this report shows, the social
impact of their behaviour, developing shared rules and emotional skills in this pyramid can be developed
based on mutual respect, or deciding among staff actively through teaching and whole school efforts.

Box 11: The role of bystanders in reducing bullying
KiVa is a whole-school approach aimed at reducing bullying, first developed in Finland (where it is used
by 90% of schools) and now used in several other countries. It places particular emphasis on the role of
the bystander in intervening when bullying takes place. Classroom lessons aim to: (1) raise awareness
among children of the role that the group plays in bullying; (2) increase empathy towards victims of bullying;
and (3) promote children’s skills in supporting victims. Lessons follow the SAFE practices (set out in
Recommendation 4) and are reinforced through the school environment (assemblies, posters and so on), and
information to parents. KiVa has had positive results in several trials internationally.75 UK evidence is limited so
far, though future evaluation is planned.
Figure 2: The incredible years teaching pyramid ®
Use selectively:
• Loss of privileges
• Timeout
• Call parent
Disruptive • Work chore
Consequences
behaviours
Reminder of
expected behaviour
Warning of
consequences
Non-disruptive Distractions
behaviours
Non verbal cues
Positive verbal redirect
Re-engagment strategies
Responsibility
Predictability Clear limits
Obedience
Classroom structures
Use Liberally
Social skills
Academic skills
Praise Incentives
Motivation
Encouragment Celebrations
Use Liberally
Problem Solving
Cooperation
Self-esteem Empathy Attention and Play Problem Listening Talking
involvement solving
Benefits for child Teacher skills and strategies
Adapted from Webster-Stratton, C. and Reid, M. J. (2001) Incredible Years Teacher Training Program: Content, Methods and
Processes (Facilitator Manual), Seattle.

Engagement with families and community
The family is the first place of learning for SEL skills, • sending positive messages home to families about
guided by what parents and communities consider children’s social and emotional development (for
important. Schools build on this and provide example, sending postcards home that praise the
opportunities to influence skill development. An child for using specific social and emotional skills);
important part of whole school strategies is therefore
the school’s engagement with families to ensure • inviting parents to participate in SEL learning
that social and emotional skills that are taught and opportunities, workshops, family events, and so
practised at school are reinforced in the home on; and
environment. However, currently, only 35% of UK
teachers agree that ‘my students have consistent • using parent-teacher meetings and end of term
behaviour goals between home and school’ (the reports as an opportunity to discuss children’s
proportion was higher for those who had training social and emotional development in addition to
related to SEL).76 their academic development.
Strategies used to engage parents could include: For more information on strategies for working with
families, see EEF’s guidance report Working with
• the involvement of parents in the drafting of school Parents to Support Children’s Learning.
norms, vision and behaviour policy;
• information sent to parents about the strategies used

to support skill development, including information
about ways to practise SEL skills at home;

6 Plan, Support, and monitor
SEL implementation
Thinking carefully about implementation is especially important in relation to SEL due to the wide variation
in programme outcomes and the potential complexity of whole-school change. High-quality implementation
is positively associated with better outcomes for children.77 Moreover, uncoordinated approaches to SEL
programming have been shown to have negative effects on staff morale and student engagement, and
therefore may risk doing more harm than good.78 Insufficient time for teachers to plan and deliver SEL
lessons, and lack of training or buy-in from staff, are particular challenges to address.
Establish a shared vision for SEL
The leadership team shapes the core values, attitudes, • review the curriculum to build in opportunities for
beliefs and culture of the school and classrooms, and SEL learning across a range of subjects;
therefore influences the extent to which schools see
social and emotional learning as a priority and make • create time and space for all staff to engage in SEL
time for it. Where school leaders are perceived to planning and implementation (for example, as part
be supportive of SEL initiatives, teachers feel better of inset training, or in place of activities that may be
equipped to deliver it in class and view skills as more time-consuming but having limited impact—see this
likely to become embedded across the school.79 Workload Toolkit for ideas);80
The first priority for leaders is to develop a shared SEL • structure the school environment so that it supports
vision for the school that helps to foster commitment SEL development;
and ownership among all stakeholders (staff, pupils,
parents). It takes into account the school’s unique • involve parents and the community in what the
strengths and shares the hopes and expectations of children are learning in SEL; and
the entire school community.
• model the behaviours they wish to see adopted
In order to support SEL, leaders should: in others.
• establish a team that shares leadership Ultimately, it is key that SEL is integrated with the whole
responsibility for SEL; school system, so it is ‘connected to—rather than
competing with—other school priorities’.81 As noted in
• work with the team to build a school vision that the introduction, there is good evidence that when well-
includes developing and supporting SEL, for both implemented, SEL has a positive impact on academic
pupils and staff; attainment so these aims should not be in tension.
• review school policies so that they are compatible

with the school’s SEL vision;

Treat implementation as a process, not Figure 3: cycle of implementing change
an event
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS BEGINS
The EEF’s guidance report, Putting Evidence to
Work—A School’s Guide to Implementation, can Treat scale-up as a new Identify a key priority that is
implementation process amenable to change
support schools to think through the process of
managing change around SEL. Figure 3 sets out the Continuously acknowledge
support and reward good
Systematically explore
programmes or practices
steps for successful implementation. implementation practices to implement
Plan for sustaining and Examine the fit and

scaling the intervention feasibility with the
from the outset school context
SUSTAIN EXPLORE
STABLE USE ADOPTION
OF APPROACH DECISION
DELIVER PREPARE
Use implementation data Develop a clear, logical

to drive faithful adoption and well specified plan
and intelligent adaption
NOT READY
- ADAPT PLAN
Reinforce initial training Assess the readiness of

with follow-on support the school to deliver the
within the school implementation plan
READY
Support staff and solve Prepare practically e.g.

problems using a flexible train staff, develop
leadership approach infrastructure
DELIVERY BEGINS
Involve all school staff in planning for SEL

Though leadership is crucial, if teachers and others It is also important to consult with school staff because
school staff are not consulted about their views on there are likely to be mixed views about if and how
SEL, efforts to integrate it are much less likely to be SEL can be introduced. For example, most teachers
effective. A survey of teachers found that: say that they see SEL as important, but not all believe
that socio-emotional skills are teachable, or that it
• partnership between teachers and senior leadership is the core focus of their role.83 Teachers also have
in introducing SEL is associated with a higher mixed views about the extent to which SEL should be
likelihood that teachers are satisfied with the SEL given dedicated time as opposed to being integrated
provision; and that into a range of other subjects. Discussing these views
openly is likely to increase the chances that all school
• SEL is more likely to be considered across many staff support efforts for embedding SEL—the evidence
different subject areas when teachers are involved in provided elsewhere in this report should be helpful for
introducing it.82 informing these conversations.

Focus on implementation quality
How SEL approaches are implemented really and programme fidelity, and this was associated with
matters. The extent to which teachers and other larger impacts than loose guidelines and broad-
school staff value SEL, are given time and support based principles.86
to prepare, and are engaging in their delivery of
activities influences outcomes.84 Research on over As noted in Recommendation 3, staff preparedness
200 school-based SEL programmes showed that and enthusiasm for delivering SEL has been
higher quality implementation was associated with associated with improved impacts in two recent UK
improvements in academic performance, as well evaluations,87 and appears to be more important than
as reductions in conduct problems and reductions simply delivering more SEL lesson content. Quality
in emotional distress (when compared to students delivery is likely to be supported by the school being
who received poorly implemented programmes).85 clear about the outcomes it is trying to achieve,
In this study, ‘high quality implementation’ was ensuring genuine buy-in from teachers, and building
characterised by higher intensity, consistency, clarity in reviews of progress.
Class teachers can deliver SEL effectively
In most cases, schools do not need external or implement SEL programmes.88 This may be because
specialist staff to deliver SEL activities to children. In there is more opportunity for practice to become
fact, effects on academic performance are generally embedded over time. A partial exception to this may be
larger when teachers—as opposed to external more targeted forms of support, where specialist input
practitioners, researchers or community members— is likely to be more beneficial.89

Provide training and support to school staff
Children are more likely to benefit from SEL when It is important that professional development extends
staff receive training and the programme or practice beyond classroom teachers. Staff members other
is implemented well and embedded into everyday than teachers receive even less training and support
teaching and learning.90 Teachers, however, often despite the fact that teaching assistants, lunch and hall
receive little or no training in how to promote these supervisors, catering staff, sports coaches, and other
skills and report limited confidence in their ability non-teaching staff are with children during many of the
to respond to students’ emotional, social and interactions that may particularly demand effective SEL
behavioural needs.91 strategies and skills.95 Schools may wish to review the
EEF’s guidance and training on Teaching Assistants for
Teachers who have received training related to SEL more information.
are more likely to agree that SEL has improved their
relationship with their children, more likely to agree
that emotion is fundamental to learning, and more
likely to agree that their children had consistent
behavioural goals between school and home.92
Professional development on SEL should broadly focus

on meeting three key goals:
1. Readiness for change. This involves ensuring that

school staff recognise and agree with the perceived
needs for the approach, and understanding the
procedures and process for achieving the goal.93
2. Specific skills-based training in relation to a

teacher’s sense of self-efficacy in implementing
SEL. Self-efficacy is underpinned by knowledge,
understanding and perceived competence.
3. Embedding practices and ensuring quality and

fidelity94 involves providing ongoing support to check
that a programme or approach is being delivered as
intended, and that staff have the time and support
required. This may involve bringing groups of staff
together periodically to trouble-shoot issues that arise.

Monitor implementation and evaluate the impact of SEL
The call to ‘monitor and evaluate’ can feel like generic and efforts (and doesn’t become a further barrier).
advice, and one that risks creating additional workload. As a starting point, regular, low-intensity and efficient
However, it is likely to be especially important auditing is likely to be helpful—focused on indicators
in relation to SEL, for several reasons relating to that are proxies for SEL development, such as pupil
recommendations in this report: behaviour or well-being, or teacher perceptions.
Collecting regular feedback by surveys from children
• Flexible strategies drawn from evidence-based and staff on issues like class or school climate is
programmes are a promising approach and there relatively straight-forward, could help to identify
is growing research promoting such practices as ongoing issues, and should also promote a positive
a complement to programmes. But they have not culture in which the school listens to and responds to
been formally tested; schools need to judge which needs. This is likely to provide valuable information for:
strategies work in their contexts.
• identifying needs;
• The impact of SEL programmes varies substantially.
Even those with good evidence of impact cannot • focusing efforts; and
guarantee positive results in new contexts, and the
effort to introduce or maintain a programme is likely • checking whether approaches are having an impact.
to be substantial. Therefore, checking it is meeting
its goals is essential. To extend these efforts schools should also consider
assessing children’s SEL development using validated
• Whole-school change is known to be more measurement tools. Care needs to be taken in the
challenging to achieve than introducing a classroom interpretation of the results and actions that follow.
curriculum, and requires careful coordination and Some resources to support schools in identifying
oversight from the leadership team. possible measures include:
• Given the perceived implementation challenges • The EEF’s SPECTRUM database. This provides
related to SEL in general (lack of time; lack of an overview of measures, and the accompanying
training; competing priorities), assessing progress is report provides guidance on selecting measures.
needed to check barriers are being addressed, and
to provide reassurance that efforts are meeting their • For more of a focus on mental health and well-
aims (and to learn and change approach if not). being, Public Health England’s Toolkit for schools
and colleges and CORC’s Well-being measurement
Schools should ensure that their monitoring and framework for primary schools provide helpful
evaluation is proportionate to the scale of their needs related resources.

Next steps on SEL
For schools seeking further information and ideas to • EIF Guidebook

help them plan—in addition to forthcoming EEF tools—
the following links may be helpful, providing advice and • CASEL
many free SEL resources:
• PSHE Association
• SEAL Community
• Mentally Healthy Schools

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Strategies’, London: Education Endowment Foundation. Lancet, 392, pp. 2452–64.
57. Durlak, J. et al. (2011) ‘The Impact of Enhancing Students’ 71. CASEL website, accessed 06.06.2019: https://schoolguide.
Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School- casel.org/focus-area-3/school/establish-schoolwide-norms/
Based Universal Interventions’, Child Development, 82 (1), pp. 72. Greenberg, M and Jennings, T (2009) ‘The Prosocial
405–432. Classroom: teacher social and emotional competence in
58. Weare, K. and Nind, M. (2011) ‘Mental health promotion and relation to student and classroom outcomes’, Review of
problem prevention in schools: What does the evidence say? Educational Research, 79 (1), pp. 491–525. Gottfredson, G.,
Health Promotion International, 26 (S1). et al. (2005) ‘School Climate Predictors of School Disorder:
59. Scott Loinaz, E. (2019) ‘Teachers’ perceptions and practice Results from a National Study of Delinquency Prevention in
of social and emotional education in Greece, Spain, Sweden Schools’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 42(4),
and the United Kingdom’, International Journal of Emotional 412–444.
Education, 11 (1), pp. 31–48. 73. Mendez, L. and Knoff, H. (2003) ‘Who gets suspended from
60. Sanchez, A. et al (2018) ‘The Effectiveness of School-Based school and why: A demographic analysis of schools and
Mental Health Services for Elementary-Aged Children: A disciplinary infractions in a large school district’, Education
Meta-Analysis’, Journal of the American Academy of Child and and Treatment of Children, 26(1): pp. 30–51. Theriot, M. and
Adolescent Psychiatry, 57 (3). Dupper, D. (2009), ‘Student Discipline Problems and the
Transition From Elementary to Middle School’, Education and
61. Adi, Y. et al., (2007) A Systematic review of the effectiveness of Urban Society, 42(2) 205–222.
interventions to promote mental wellbeing in children in primary
education: Report 1: Universal Approaches Non-violence 74. CASEL website, accessed 06.06.2019: https://schoolguide.
related outcomes. Garrard, W. & Lipsey, M. (2007) Conflict casel.org/focus-area-3/school/establish-discipline-policies-
Resolution Education and Antisocial Behavior in U.S. Schools: that-promote-sel/
A Meta-Analysis, Conflict Resolution Quarterly 25(1), pp. 9–38. 75. Kärnä, A., Voeten, M., Little, T. D., Poskiparta, E., Kaljonen, A.
62. Corcoran, R. (2018) ‘Effective Universal school-based social and Salmivalli, C. (2011) ‘A large-scale evaluation of the KiVa
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achievement: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 50 (1), pp. 311–330; Nocentini, A. and Menesini, E. (2016) ‘KiVa
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1012–1023.
63. Humphrey, N. et al (2015) Promoting Alternative Thinking
Strategies (2015). London: Education Endowment Foundation. 76. Scott Loinaz, E. (2019) ‘Teachers’ perceptions and practice
of social and emotional education in Greece, Spain, Sweden
64. Weare, K. and Nind, M. (2011) ‘Mental health promotion and and the United Kingdom’, International Journal of Emotional
problem prevention in schools: What does the evidence say? Education, 11 (1), pp. 31–48.
Health Promotion International, 26 (S1).
77. Durlak, J. et al. (2011) ‘The Impact of Enhancing Students’
65. Durlak, J. et al. (2011) The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-
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pp.405-432.

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‘How do schools promote emotional well‐being among their
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92. Scott Loinaz, E. (2019) ‘Teachers’ perceptions and practice
of social and emotional education in Greece, Spain, Sweden
and the United Kingdom’, International Journal of Emotional
Education, 11 (1), pp. 31–48.

HOW WAS THIS GUIDANCE COMPILED?
This guidance report draws on the best available evidence regarding social and emotional learning in primary schools. It is based on
a review conducted by Dr Michael Wigelsworth, Lily Verity, Carla Mason, Professor Neil Humphrey, and Professor Pamela Qualter
(University of Manchester).
The guidance report was created over four stages:
1. Scoping. The EEF and EIF consulted with a number of teachers and academics about the scope of the report. We then appointed
an advisory panel and the review team, and agreed research questions for the review.
2. Evidence review. The review team conducted searches for the best available international evidence using a range of databases,
including new analysis on the common elements of effective programmes.
3. Research on current practice. The review team also conducted a survey of 436 primary schools in England to understand what
schools are currently doing in relation to social and emotional learning.
4. Writing recommendations. The EEF and EIF worked with the advisory panel and reviewers to draft the guidance report and
recommendations. The final guidance report was written by Matthew van Poortvliet (EEF), Dr Aleisha Clarke (EIF), and Jean Gross
CBE (SEAL Community) with input and feedback from many others.
The advisory panel included Jonathan Baggaley (PSHE Association), Professor Robin Banerjee (University of Sussex), Professor
Margaret Barry (National University of Ireland Galway), Dr Vashti Berry (University of Exeter), Jean Gross CBE (SEAL Community),
Emma Lewis (Heathmere Primary School), and Liz Robinson (Big Education). We would like to thank them for the support, challenge,
and input they provided throughout the process.
We would like to thank the researchers and practitioners who were involved in providing support and feedback on drafts of this guidance.

Production and artwork by Percipio
https://percipio.london
Education Endowment Foundation www.educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk

5th Floor, Millbank Tower
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IMPROVING SOCIAL AND

About the Education Endowment Foundation

About the Early Intervention Foundation

Education Endowment Foundation

Recommendation 1 Teach SEL skills explicitly 10

Recommendation 2 Integrate and model skills through everyday teaching 18

Recommendation 3 Plan carefully for adopting a SEL programme 22

Recommendation 4 Use a ‘SAFE’ curriculum: Sequential, Active, 26

Recommendation 5 Reinforce SEL skills through whole-school ethos and activities 30

Recommendation 6 Plan, support, and monitor SEL implementation 34

Improving social and emotional learning in primary schools 1

2 Education Endowment Foundation

* By ‘programme’ we mean a structured intervention or curriculum, usually supported by a manual,

Improving social and emotional learning in primary schools 3

What is Social and Emotional Learning?

Table 1: Core Skills at the heart of SEL

Core Definition Associated skills

Self- The ability to accurately recognise • Identifying emotions

4 Education Endowment Foundation

Social and emotional learning +4

Why do social and emotional skills matter?

Improving social and emotional learning in primary schools 5

How does SEL relate to mental health?

6 Education Endowment Foundation

What do schools currently say about SEL?

A survey of over 400 primary schools conducted by the

Improving social and emotional learning in primary schools 7

Teaching strategies Curriculum

Page 10 Page 18 Page 22

8 Education Endowment Foundation

• Monitor implementation and

Page 26 Page 30 Page 34

Improving social and emotional learning in primary schools 9

• as part of planned time dedicated to SEL;

• integrated into everyday class teaching; and

• to complement a more structured programme (see Recommendation 3).

A. Strategies to enhance children’s self-awareness

What do we mean by self-awareness?

Examples of activities used to develop children’s self-awareness

10 Education Endowment Foundation

• teaching them to use ‘I’ messages (articulating how

• providing supportive prompts to children who have

Box 1: Feelings display

• ‘You feel happy? Is there another word on our

feelings tree that you could use?’ Ecstatic

• ‘We have learned a new feelings word today–

What does it mean to feel frustrated? Can you

think of a time you might feel frustrated?’

Teachers can also use the display to support

emotional expression, for example, by having

children place their name or photo on a relevant

emotion within the feelings display to indicate how Furious

Improving social and emotional learning in primary schools 11

What do we mean by self-management and emotional self-regulation?

The terms ‘self-management’ and ‘self-regulation’ refer • control impulses.

Examples of activities used to develop children’s self-regulation skills

Box 2: Self-calming strategy

12 Education Endowment Foundation