M is for Merry Christmas

A Gentle Note for Now… and Five Tips for a Calmer January Return

Term has finished. Classrooms are quiet. You’ve finally stepped out of “school mode” and into something slower, softer, and—hopefully—restorative. Before you switch off completely, I wanted to send a small Christmas message and a few thoughts that might make your January return feel a little steadier.

Many children enjoy the break. Others find it overwhelming. Those routines you've worked so hard to maintain suddenly disappear, sleep patterns change, environments shift, emotions run high, and some pupils will come back dysregulated in ways that have nothing to do with school and everything to do with the unpredictability of holiday life.

The new EIF takes a close look at how schools reduce barriers to learning. January is one of the clearest moments where those barriers show themselves. This isn’t something to brace for—just something to be aware of, so the return feels thoughtful rather than frantic.

For now, rest. But when you ease back in, these five simple approaches can help pupils settle more smoothly after the break.

Five practical ways to support dysregulated pupils when they return

Treat the first week as a re-entry phase.

Think of it as a transition window. Go slower than you think you need to, and re-establish rhythms gradually.

Make the school day predictable again.

Visual timetables, routines, and “here’s what happens next” language help pupils who’ve lived two weeks without structure.

Expect emotional spillover—and meet it with calm.

Dysregulation is normal after holidays. Co-regulation at the door, in transitions, and during tricky moments goes a long way.

Use movement and sensory resets.

Short bursts of regulation (walking routes, breathing exercises, quiet starts, chair push-ups) help children find their balance again.

Reconnect first, reteach second.

Relationships settle classrooms faster than rules ever do. A warm welcome back creates the conditions for learning to restart.

It might be a brand new year, but January doesn’t need a “big bang”. It just needs those steady steps, predictable routines, and a culture that remembers the child before the behaviour.

If you’d like something gentle to look at once you’re back in the swing of things, you can download our Smart Steps Guide to the New EIF  or pick up a CPD conversation in the new year if you'd like to shape your inclusion strategy for 2026.

But for now — Merry Christmas. Rest well.

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