Abingdon House School on the power of co-regulation

Nadia Carella, Assistant Head of Abingdon House Senior – part of the Cavendish Group – on the value of supporting students through co-regulation

Abingdon House is a specialist school offering an integrated therapeutic approach to education for students with learning differences. We support pupils who may struggle to fulfil their potential in mainstream environments by helping them overcome barriers to learning, build confidence, and thrive both academically and personally.

Our central priority is preparing students to face challenges with resilience, equipping them with the skills they need for life beyond school. At the heart of this lies regulation: the ability to manage emotions and levels of alertness in order to engage fully with learning and daily life. Yet regulation is not always easy to achieve independently – many young people benefit from the guidance, presence and consistency of trusted adults. This is where co-regulation becomes essential.

When students can expect calm responses, clear guidance and steady support from the adults around them, they develop trust and a sense of security. A predictable foundation allows them to focus on learning, manage challenges with greater confidence, and gradually build the capacity for self-regulation. Co-regulation is, at its core, one individual helping another to navigate stress and emotion through connection, modelling and guidance. It provides children with the support needed to move from a heightened emotional state into a calmer, more balanced one.

“Co-regulation is, at its core, one individual helping another to navigate stress and emotion through connection, modelling and guidance”

Regulation itself can be understood across three areas: high alertness, low alertness and what we can call the ‘wonder zone’, that optimal state where students are calm, focused and ready to learn. For some, high alertness means their threshold for sensory input is low, making everyday events feel quickly overwhelming. This might look like restlessness, fast movements, fidgeting, talking off-topic or struggling to maintain focus. Others may experience low alertness, where the brain is slow to register sensory input. These students may appear lethargic or zoned out, sometimes missing instructions altogether.

Recognising and responding to these states with the right strategies is key. High alertness can be supported through calming activities such as wall push exercises, bubble blowing or gentle rolling on a peanut ball, reducing intensity and restoring balance.

Low alertness, on the other hand, benefits from alerting strategies that boost energy and focus, including star jumps, hopping, short sprints or rhythmic movement games. By tailoring responses in this way, staff help students return to the ‘wonder zone’ where meaningful learning and growth can take place.

At Abingdon House School, a trauma-informed approach to behaviour places co-regulation at its core. Guided by the principles of Protect, Relate, Regulate and Reflect, it ensures students feel safe and connected while developing the resilience needed to manage challenges effectively.

Regulation is not only reactive – it is about sustaining the ‘wonder zone’ throughout the day. Regular movement, learning breaks, environmental adaptations and other proactive strategies help students stay engaged and ready to learn, reducing dysregulation and enabling more meaningful reflection when needed.

Emotional resilience is a cornerstone of lifelong success. It enables young people to recover from setbacks, adapt to new situations and face challenges with confidence. Co-regulation plays a vital role in building this resilience. Before students can manage difficulties independently, they first need to experience safety and connection with adults.

Through consistent co-regulation, students gradually develop the capacity for self-regulation – an essential skill that underpins not just academic achievement but also the ability to build strong relationships, succeed in employment, and flourish in life beyond school.

Abingdon House School abingdonhouseschool.co.uk

Further reading: Frewen College on redefining dyslexia