A short, predictable routine to start every day connected and ready to learn. The same six steps run in every classroom — infants and primary differ only in how they’re delivered, not the steps themselves.
Run them in this order each time. Predictability is the point — students learn the rhythm and settle into it.
Welcome every student by name, with eye contact and a warm greeting (a wave, hello, handshake or class chant). No one starts the day unseen — this is the connection that everything else builds on.
Name the value focus for the day or fortnight — Safe, Respectful, Learners. Link it to what it looks like in your room so students know what we’re aiming for.
Make the day’s expectations explicit and positive: what we’re doing, how we’ll show our values, and what success looks like. Clear and brief.
Share what’s happening today or this week — events, changes, reminders. Predictability lowers anxiety and helps students feel settled and ready.
A short, positive moment to prime the brain for learning — a quick game, a brain break, a affirmation or a moment of calm. It shifts the mood and energy in the room.
Students share a recent win, big or small. This builds positivity, reflection and belonging, and ends the circle on an upbeat note before learning begins.
Every class runs the same six steps in the same order. These are the differences in how they’re pitched.
A starting point — adjust the timings and activities to suit your stage.
Every child is greeted and seen by name at the start of the day.
The same steps each morning help students regulate and feel safe.
Primes attention and a positive mindset before learning begins.
The Circle Routine at a glance — handy on the wall or in a planner.
