7. Monitoring and Reflecting on Impact

Monitoring helps schools understand whether the Feel It Framework is being used as intended and what difference staff and children are noticing over time.

The aim is not to test children’s feelings or prove that they are always calm. Emotional development is individual, gradual and influenced by many factors.

What schools might notice

Over time, children may become increasingly able to:

• Notice and describe body signals
• Recognise and name a wider range of feelings
• Choose or request a helpful tool
• Distinguish between a feeling, thought and fact
• Ask for help
• Express needs more safely
• Use kinder self-talk
• Consider different possibilities
• Recover from challenges with support
• Return to learning when ready
• Understand that mistakes do not determine their worth

Adults may also notice:

• More consistent emotional language across school
• Earlier recognition of children’s needs
• Increased use of co-regulation and supportive responses
• Greater confidence in discussing emotions
• Fewer dismissive or judgemental responses
• More purposeful use of wellbeing routines

Monitoring implementation

Before judging outcomes, consider whether the framework has been implemented consistently:

• Have relevant staff completed the core training?
• Have children been introduced to the framework?
• Are the layers being used without labels or judgement?
• Are Daily Essentials used regularly?
• Have lessons been delivered as intended?
• Are children given opportunities to practise the language and tools?
• Are adaptations being made for individual needs?

Ways to gather information

Schools might use:

• Brief staff reflections
• Pupil voice activities
• Classroom observations
• Before-and-after teacher questionnaires
• Records of which lessons and routines were delivered
• Examples of children independently using the language or tools
• Feedback from families where appropriate

Information should be recorded sensitively and in accordance with the school’s data-protection policies.

Reflect, learn and adapt

Monitoring should help schools ask:

• What is working well?
• What feels difficult to implement?
• Which routines are children using?
• Where do staff need more guidance?
• Are all children able to access the approach?
• What should we continue, adapt or strengthen?

Any improvements observed should be described carefully. The framework may contribute to change, but schools should avoid claiming that it caused a particular outcome without a suitably designed evaluation.