Building Friendships

Overview

Year Group: 7
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 10 students
Unit: Navigating Life's Challenges (Lesson 2 of 6)
Subject: PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education)
Theme: Qualities of good friends, healthy relationships, communication skills, peer pressure

National Curriculum Links

This lesson directly supports the KS3 PSHE Education Programme of Study (Statutory guidance 2020) for England, specifically:

Relationships Education: Develop understanding of respectful relationships, including friendships
Health and Wellbeing: Recognise and manage peer influence and peer pressure
Communication Skills: Develop strategies for effective communication and conflict resolution

Key Competencies from the National Curriculum:

Developing positive relationships and respecting differences (PSHE KS3)
Building self-confidence and resilience to manage challenges (PSHE KS3)
Understanding the impact of behaviour on others and promoting mutual respect (PSHE KS3)

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Secure: List 3 qualities of a good friend, understanding their importance in healthy relationships
Developing: Describe strategies to handle peer pressure effectively
Emerging: Share a personal experience related to friendship, fostering self-expression and reflection

Resources

Whiteboard and markers
Pre-prepared scenario cards for role-play
"Friendship Qualities" worksheet
Peer pressure situations prompt cards
Reflection journal or writing sheets

Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Activity: Mind Map – Qualities of a Good Friend

On the whiteboard, write "Good Friend" in the centre
Invite students to call out qualities (e.g., trustworthy, kind, loyal) and scribe these points
Encourage quick discussion on why these qualities matter in friendships

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and set focus

2. Introduction to Healthy Friendships (7 minutes)

Teaching Input:

Briefly explain why healthy friendships contribute to wellbeing and resilience.
Introduce the 3 key qualities from the mind map, linking to real-life benefits in communication and mutual support.
Discuss how friendships can affect feelings and behaviour in both positive and negative ways.

National Curriculum Reference: Understanding respectful relationships and positive interaction

3. Role-Play Activity – Communication Skills & Peer Pressure (15 minutes)

Instructions:

Divide the class into pairs (5 pairs).
Give each pair a scenario card focusing on:
- A situation requiring good communication to resolve conflict or misunderstanding in friendship
- Typical peer pressure scenarios related to friendships (e.g., being pressured to exclude someone, try something they’re uncomfortable with)

Task:

Students act out their scenarios focusing on expressing feelings, listening, saying no assertively, and offering support.
After each role-play, pairs briefly discuss possible alternative responses or solutions.

Assessment Focus: Developing communication and assertiveness skills in peer contexts

4. Group Discussion – Handling Peer Pressure (10 minutes)

Bring the class back together and ask pairs to share key takeaways from their role-plays.
Prompt with questions:
- What made this situation difficult?
- What words or actions helped you in the role-play?
- How can you say no respectfully but firmly?
- Why is it important to stand by your values even when pressured?
Write student responses on the board and summarise the strategies discussed.

5. Reflection & Personal Sharing (7 minutes)

Hand out the reflection sheets or journaling prompts:
- "Think about a time you had to deal with a friendship challenge or peer pressure. How did you feel? What did you do?"
- "What is one quality you really appreciate in a friend?"
Encourage students to write or draw their reflections.
Invite a few students to share if they wish (respecting comfort levels).

Objective: Support emotional literacy and self-awareness

6. Plenary – Quiz & Recap (1 minute)

Quickfire oral quiz: Ask 3 quick questions (e.g., Name one quality of a good friend; What can you say if you are pressured?; Why are friendships important?)
Praise all contributions and recap the importance of healthy friendships and communication.

Differentiation

Learner Level	Support Strategies	Challenge Strategies
Emerging	Sentence starters for reflection, small group support for role-play	Encourage sharing personal experiences orally to develop confidence
Developing	Scaffolded peer pressure strategies handout, model assertive language	Enable creation of own peer pressure scenarios for role-play
Secure	Encourage additional qualities of friends beyond the basic three	Lead small group discussion on complex friendship scenarios (e.g., managing changing friendships)

Assessment for Learning

Formative: Observations during role-play and group discussion to assess understanding of qualities and peer pressure strategies
Self-assessment: Students reflect on their personal experiences and learning through journaling
Peer feedback: Encourage constructive feedback in pairs post role-play

Homework / Extension

Ask students to identify 2 qualities they look for in their friends at home and discuss with a family member
Optional: Create a “Friendship Advice” poster or digital slide with tips for maintaining healthy friendships and resisting peer pressure

Additional Notes for Teachers

Emphasise emotional safety: ensure a respectful environment where students feel comfortable sharing
Be prepared to sensitively handle disclosures related to friendship difficulties or peer pressure issues
Use praise to reinforce positive communication and assertiveness skills

With this structured and engaging lesson, your Year 7 students will build a solid foundation in understanding friendship qualities and practicing practical skills to navigate peer pressure, perfectly aligned to the National Curriculum’s PSHE objectives.

Teaching Instructions