Confident Service Use

Overview

This final lesson in the unit helps Year 10 learners practise being confident, responsible health service users. Students focus on matching needs to the right service and using clear, respectful communication to get support.

Learning intentions

• Students will understand how to access different local health services (including GP, A&E/minor injuries, sexual health/family planning, pharmacies, and specialist support via third sector partners).
• Students will identify their own health needs and choose the most suitable place to get help.
• Students will practise communicating symptoms, questions, and personal needs effectively using structured sentence stems.
• Students will reflect on their progress and set one realistic next step for becoming more independent in seeking help.

Success criteria

• I can name at least four health services and say when each might be used.
• I can match a scenario to the most appropriate service and explain why.
• I can communicate clearly with healthcare staff using a simple structure (what’s wrong, when it started, what I’ve tried, what I need to know).
• I can complete an exit ticket showing one action I will take to seek help more confidently.

Curriculum links

• Health protection and prevention: how to navigate the local healthcare system, including what a GP is and when to use A&E/minor injuries, plus pharmacies and accessing sexual health/family planning.
• Health protection and prevention: taking responsibility for own health and understanding how to seek help.
• Health and wellbeing: accurate, straightforward language appropriate to learners’ understanding.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Emotional check-in & routine reset. Teacher uses a quick 0–5 feelings scale and asks students to choose a “traffic light” for today (green/amber/red); students note it on a card to keep anxiety low and predictability high.

2. 5–12 min · Retrieval starters (last 8 lessons). Teacher shows 4 short prompts on the board (e.g., “Who can help if…”, “When would you call…”, “What should you say first?”); students respond in pairs using sentence starters, then share one answer per pair.

3. 12–20 min · Direct teach: the “Right Service, Right Time” map. Teacher explains a simple decision guide (need type + urgency + confidentiality + specialist support) using a class visual; students follow along and annotate with two examples from their own life experiences (kept general and non-personal).

4. 20–32 min · Scenario carousel (service matching). Teacher places 4 scenario cards around the room (adult over 16 capacity language not required for all students, but communication and consent principles should be modelled generally). Students rotate in groups of 4, then each group completes a “Service choice + reason” sheet:

• Scenario A: urgent injury/possible serious symptoms (A&E vs minor injuries)
• Scenario B: ongoing health concern or check-up (GP)
• Scenario C: contraception/STI worries (sexual health/family planning clinic)
• Scenario D: minor ailments advice and treatments (local pharmacy) Teacher circulates, prompting with: “What makes this urgent? What information will staff need?”

5. 32–42 min · Communication practice: the 4-step message. Teacher models a “4-step” structure on the board:

• What’s happening (symptom in plain words)
• When it started / how it changes
• What I’ve tried / what makes it better or worse
• What I need to know (next steps, testing, treatment options) Students practise in pairs using role cards (patient + healthcare staff) with respectful question stems (e.g., “Could you explain…?”, “What are my options…?”, “Is this urgent?”). Teacher reminds students to keep facts clear and avoid guessing.

6. 42–52 min · Evidence-informed challenge: difficult situations. Teacher reads one short case (e.g., feeling nervous, not understanding words, needing privacy, having to wait, or wanting a second opinion). Students discuss in a scaffolded way:

• “What might the person be feeling?”
• “What could they do to get support?”
• “Who could help locally (including third sector partners)?” Students add one “confidence strategy” to their 4-step message (e.g., write notes before the appointment, ask for clarification, bring a trusted adult if appropriate, ask for translation/support if needed).

7. 52–58 min · Low-stakes recap + whole-class share. Teacher uses a “One sentence, one service” round: students share one matched service and one reason; teacher affirms accurate choices and corrects misconceptions without singling out vulnerable students.

8. 58–60 min · Exit ticket (independent commitment). Students complete an individual ticket with:

• “Today I can choose the right service when…”
• “My next step to seek help more confidently is…”
• A self-rating: “I feel more confident to explain my needs” (0–5)

Resources

• Feelings scale cards (0–5) and traffic-light tokens
• Visual decision guide poster: “Right Service, Right Time”
• 4 scenario cards (A&E/minor injuries, GP, sexual health/family planning, pharmacy)
• “Service choice + reason” sheet per group
• Role cards for paired communication practice
• 4-step message template handout
• Question stem strip (plain, respectful phrases)
• Exit ticket slips and pens

Assessment

• Formative checks: teacher listens to pair discussions and scenario sheet reasoning for service-match accuracy.
• Communication observation: use a simple checklist during role play (clear symptom description, timing, what tried, question/need).
• Exit ticket review to confirm learners can (1) name services, (2) match scenarios, (3) articulate one next step.

Differentiation

• Support: sentence stems for scenario matching and role play; word banks for “urgent”, “minor”, “ongoing”, “check-up”, “advice”.
• Reading/SEN support: scenario text provided in short chunks; key terms underlined; optional audio read-through by teacher/TA.
• Behaviour/SEMH regulation: predictable rotation routine, calm circulation, clear timing cues, and low-pressure sharing (“show your sheet” not “performance”).
• Extension: students add one extra question they would ask in each scenario (e.g., “How long will it take?”, “What happens next?”, “When should I return?”) and justify why that question matters.

Assessment for AQA Unit Award evidence (optional capture)

During scenario carousel and role play, consider collecting a brief anonymised snapshot of a student’s “Service choice + reason” and one recorded 4-step message (written or verbal with scaffolds) as practical evidence of independence and communication.