By James Miller, Head of RGS Junior School
Helping the RGS Junior School students understand their emotions is not an add?on – it is at the heart of how we help them grow.
Every day, we equip our pupils with the tools to recognise how they feel, validate those emotions, and reflect on what support they might need, both in and beyond the classroom.
True learning in the classroom can at times feel uncomfortable as we stretch and challenge our students within a nurturing environment to unlock their full potential.
I have seen firsthand the impact of empowering pupils to identify and regulate their emotions through the RGS Junior School’s Zones of Regulation – a research-based approach that strengthens pupils’ emotional understanding and self?awareness.
This Spring Term, alongside our established Zones of Regulation programme, I am excited to introduce A Can of Toughen Up (TU) to the RGS Junior School. This new ‘product’ is designed to help pupils recognise and reflect on the support they need when facing challenges, empowering them to approach obstacles with confidence and resilience. TU builds naturally on the strong foundations laid through our Zones of Regulation work.
While we are committed to supporting students throughout their RGS journey, we also recognise the importance of helping them build resilience and determination – not doubt or dependency. In practice, TU acts as a simple metaphor children can relate to – an imaginative way to pause, reframe a situation, and draw on their inner resilience.
For example, a child might identify that they are in the Blue Zone (Sad) due to dropping one mark in a spelling test, and we want them to consider TU as part of the solution. By being offered a can, the adult is essentially saying, “Let us put this into perspective together. Scoring 9/10 is something to feel proud of, so let us celebrate what went well.”
Having a can of TU can also be useful in preparation for when students face something fun but challenging, for example, before their first House Cross Country event, our Year 3 pupils enjoyed a shared moment of ‘drinking’ TU. Doing it together had a wonderfully unifying effect, encouraging them to support one another and approach the challenge with confidence.
Our RGS Junior School students have been central to the creation of A Can of Toughen Up (TU). After sharing and discussing the concept with them during assembly, they came forward with a wealth of exciting designs for our TU cans. Four of our Year 6 pupils – Chrissy, Hetty, Lucy and Ava – created the winning design. They said: “It was really cool to have our design selected, as we love the idea of Toughen Up and how it can help us be resilient!”
While this is a positive new tool students can add to their emotional toolkit, it is also important for us to remind them how to look after their overall well-being. I think for anyone to be resilient, they need to eat a balanced diet, stay hydrated and sleep well. These are key ingredients of TU. An additional and very important ingredient is gratitude. On a daily basis, we encourage students to practice gratitude to help with perspective and to aid them in navigating tricky situations.
I would like to thank our amazing RGS families for supporting the campaign so far. It has been a highlight of my day when I watch children handing each other a can of TU unprompted by their families and teachers, often asking what flavour they would prefer!
To discover more about life at RGS Junior School, join us for our Virtual Information Evening on Thursday 11 June 2026, which will include insights into our Senior School and RGS Sixth Form.
www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk