Preschool Skills Progression Ladder: PSED - Self-Regulation & Relationships (Overview)

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Skills Progression Ladder — PSED

Self-Regulation & Relationships

Preschool (3–4 Years)

A play-based progression tool supporting deep number understanding through real-world EYFS practice.

EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership (Professional)

(Available Now with Professional Membership)

What this document is

The Skills Progression Ladder — PSED: Self-Regulation & Relationships is a practitioner guidance document designed to support adults in understanding how children typically develop emotional regulation, social understanding and relationship skills during the Preschool years.

It is grounded in the understanding that self-regulation is taught through co-regulation, secure relationships and lived experiences — not through instructions, sanctions or expectations that children should manage emotions independently before they are ready.

The ladder outlines possible developmental steps, alongside examples of adult language, interaction and provision that support children to feel safe, understood and increasingly capable over time.

The progression steps are not a checklist and are not intended for assessment or labelling. They support professional reflection and responsive planning.

It is intended to support professional judgement, not replace statutory guidance.

Who this is for

• Preschool practitioners working with children aged 3–4

• EYFS leaders and managers

• SENCOs and inclusion leads

• Practitioners supporting children with SEND, SEMH or trauma histories

• Teams embedding relational, trauma-informed practice

What this document helps you do

• Understand self-regulation as a relational, developmental process

• Respond to behaviour through support rather than compliance

• Plan experiences that build emotional understanding and cooperation

• Strengthen adult language around feelings, conflict and repair

• Support children who struggle with regulation without pathologising

• Embed inclusive, trauma-informed practice into everyday routines

• Build children’s confidence, empathy and sense of belonging

How this document is used in practice

The ladder supports practitioners to:

• Observe children’s emotional responses and coping strategies

• Identify which types of adult support may help next steps

• Use validating, supportive language consistently across the team

• Design environments that support regulation and emotional safety

• Recognise that progress is spiral, not linear, especially for vulnerable children

It reinforces that:

• Big emotions are part of healthy development

• Regulation improves through experience and support

• Progress is shown in shorter recovery times, not the absence of emotion

How this fits within our Preschool framework

This document forms part of our wider Preschool (3–4 Years) Curriculum & Pedagogy framework, supporting wellbeing, inclusion and high-quality relational practice.

This document is part of our EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership (Professional), which provides full access to age-specific curriculum frameworks, planning guidance, assessment tools and leadership support.

(Available Now with Professional Membership)

Related documents include:

Or read our ‘Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement’

Additional Documents | Professional Membership Contents (Preschool 3-4 Years)

Navigate our Curriculum & Pedagogy guidance documents here.

Pedagogical identity:
Broad, play-based, theme-led curriculum with purposeful adult input and strong continuous provision.

• 1. Welcome to Preschool (Start Here)

  👉 Pre-planning orientation.

  • Preschool Pedagogy Position Statement

  • Preschool Curriculum Overview & Rationale

  • Curriculum Overview: How Themes Fit Together (6 Main + 8 Mini)

  • What Child-Led Does Not Mean

  • Adult-Led With Purpose in Preschool

• 2. Preschool Curriculum & Progression

  👉 Big-picture curriculum intent and progression.

  • Preschool Curriculum Map (By Term)

  • Skills Progression Ladders (3–4 Years) - Including Practitioner Guidance

    ↪ Communication & Language

    ↪ Early Reading (Phase 1 Readiness)

    ↪ Early Writing

    ↪ Early Maths - Subitising, Counting & Comparing

    ↪ Early Maths - Pattern, Shape & Spatial Awareness

    ↪ PSED - Self-Regulation & Relationships

    ↪ Fine Motor & Hand Control

  • Strength-Based Progress Overview

  • Our Preschool Curriculum Intent, Implementation & Impact - OFSTED Conversation Statement

• 3. Preschool Themes & Medium-Term Planning

  👉 Theme-led planning lives here.

  • Curriculum Overview | How Themes Fit Together

  • Preschool Theme Packs – FAQs

  • How Practitioners Use This Curriculum Daily

  Core Preschool Themes (6 Weeks Each)

  • ‍Autumn 1: This Is Me

  • Autumn 2: Who Helps When…?

  • Spring 1: Journeys & Transport

  • Spring 2: Animals & Habitats

  • Summer 1: Growing & Changing

  • Summer 2: Water World

  Optional Mini-Themes (1–2 Weeks)

  • Space

  • Dinosaurs & the Mystery Egg

  • Pets & Vets

  • Building & Construction

  • Traditional Tales

  • Beaches & Coastlines

  • Healthy Bodies & Wellbeing

  • Celebrations Around the World

• 4. Continuous Provision in Preschool

  👉 The engine room of daily practice.

  • Universal Continuous Provision Packs (Preschool | 3–4 Years)

    • Construction Area

    • Small World Area

    • Role-Play Area

    • Writing / Mark-Making Area

    • Maths Area

    • Creative Area (Art & Making)

    • Investigation / STEM / Discovery Area

    • Book Corner / Reading Den

    • Fine Motor Station

    • Water Area

    • Sand Area

    • Snack Area / Independence Station

    • Outdoor Provision Core Zones

      • Physical play

      • Gross motor skills

      • Nature area

      • Outdoor mark-making

      • Outdoor maths

  • Preschool Environment & Provision Map Audit Pack

  • How Continuous Provision Works in Our Preschool Curriculum

  • Continuous Provision Audit Checklist

  • Continuous Provision FAQs (For Preschool Practitioners)

• 5. Adult-Led Teaching & Small Groups

  👉 Purposeful adult input without formalisation.

  Early Reading & Phonics

  • Phonics & Early Reading Pack

  • Phase 1, Vocabulary & Early Comprehension, Curriculum System (24 Sessions)

    • 8 themed sets covering all aspects of Phase 1

    • 24 mini session plans

    • Vocabulary & story-building scaffolds

    • Outdoor phonological play ideas

    • SEND & EAL accessible sessions

    • Theme-linked sessions (Transport, Animals, Growth)

    • Assessment & observation prompts

    • Continuous Provision follow-up suggestions

  • Adult-Led Session Templates

  • Practitioner FAQs

  Maths

  • Maths Small Group Session Bank (24 Sessions)

    • Strand A - Subitising (Sessions 1-4)

    • Strand B - Counting Principles (Sessions 5-8)

    • Strand C - Comparing Quantites (Sessions 9-12)

    • Strand D - Composition of Number (Sessions 13-16)

    • Strand E - Spatial & Shape (Sessions 17-20)

    • Strand F - Measures & Pattern (Sessions 21-24)

  • How To Use Our Maths Session Bank & Strand Overview (A–F)

  • Adult-Led Session Templates

  • Practitioner FAQs

  Writing & Fine Motor

  • Fine Motor & Mark Making Mini Sessions (18)

    • How To Use Our Fine Motor & Mark Making Mini Sessions Bank

    • Strand A - Core & Shoulder Stability (Sessions 1-3)

    • Strand B - Wrist Rotation & Fluidity (Sessions 4-6)

    • Strand C - Pincer, Pinch & Tool Control (Sessions 7-10)

    • Strand D - Early Pattern Making: Pre-Writing Shapes (Sessions 11-18)

  • Early Writing Purpose Mini Sessions (6)

    • How To Use Our Early Writing Purpose Mini Sessions Bank

    • Lists

    • Labels

    • Messages

    • Maps

    • Signs

    • Tickets & Recipes

  • How These Two Session Banks Are Designed To Work Together

• 6. Language, Interaction & Thinking

  👉 High-impact interaction guidance.

  • How We Talk to Children

  • Five Sentence Stems For Preschool Practitioners

  • If Interest Sparks — What Happens Next?

  • Preschool Staff Guidance Posters

• 7. Planning Tools & Templates

  👉 Practical planning support.

  • Weekly Planning Templates (2 Versions)

  • How to Use the Preschool Weekly Planning Templates: Guide

  • Adult-Led Session Planning Templates Pack

    • Universal

    • Phonics / Early Language Focus (Listening → Rhyme → Sound Awareness)

    • Maths Focus (Number + Pattern + Shape + Measure)

    • Story & Book Talk Focus (Comprehension → Retell → Vocabulary → Prediction)

    • PSED / Self-Regulation Small Group

• 8. Observation, Assessment & Reporting

  👉 Proportionate, non-statutory assessment.

  • Observe–Assess–Plan (OAP) Toolkit - Preschool

  • Assessment Dashboard Pack (3 Versions)

    • Prime Areas Only Dashboard (Communication & Language, PSED, Physical)

    • Full EYFS Areas Dashboard (Prime + Specific)

    • Dashboard with Wellbeing & Involvement Scale (Leuven-inspired 1–5 ratings)

  • Progress Review (3–4 Years)

    • Short & Long Versions

    • Guidance - How To Complete And Share With Families

  • Preschool Report Pack

    • End of Term Template

    • End of Year Template

    • Guidance - How To Write Strength-Based Reports

    • Sentence Starters Bank

• 9. Transition to Reception

  👉 Parent Engagement plus Emotional, environmental and communicative transition.

  • Preschool Transition to Reception Pack

    ↪ Child Passport

    ↪ Practitioner-To-Practitioner Handover Summary

    ↪ SEND Transition Sheet

    ↪ Family Transition Summary Sheet

    ↪ Parent Leaflet — “Preparing For Reception”

    ↪ Child Voice Page

    ↪ Guidance Page— “How To Complete & Share Transition Information”

  • Home & Setting Communication

    ↪ Our Preschool Curriculum (Age 3–4) | Parent-Facing Document

    (Additional parent literature within planning documents.)

Additional Whole-Setting Guidance | for Professional Members

Explore our whole-setting guidance below, including overarching curriculum and pedagogy documents, early years schemas and EYFS setting policies.

• Curriculum & Pedagogy

  • Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement

  • EYFS from Birth to 5: Curriculum Coherence & Pedagogical Throughline

  • Whole-Setting Curriculum Map (Birth-5): Curriculum Intent & Progression

  • Pedagogy Guidance Document

  • Speech & Language Development - Setting Statement

  • EYFS Inspection-Facing Summaries

• Early Years Schemas

  Early Years Schemas - Practitioner Toolkit | EYFS Birth-5

  ↪ Schema Cards (definition, behaviours, age-related examples, enabling resources)

  ↪ Schema Observation & Responsive Provision Planning Template

• EYFS Setting Policies

  • EYFS Group Setting Policies Pack

    ↪ x 22 Policy Documents

    ↪ Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document

    ↪ EYFS Setting Policy Folder Contents List

  • Childminder Setting Policies Pack

    ↪ x 22 Policy Documents

    ↪ Childminder Assistant or Volunteer Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document

    ↪ Childminder Policy Folder Contents List

• EYFS Glossary

  EYFS Glossary

  ↪ Clear, practitioner-friendly explanations of key curriculum and pedagogy terms used throughout our guidance.

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What is Professional Membership?

Find our more about our Professional guidance for confident, reflective EYFS practice (Birth–5)

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Content within the EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership is provided as professional guidance and support. It reflects current understanding of the EYFS statutory framework, Development Matters and inspection expectations at the time of writing. Practitioners are responsible for applying professional judgement and ensuring practice aligns with current statutory requirements and their specific context.

Updated: January 2026