Consent and Safety

Overview

In this Year 10 PSHE Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) session, students learn what consent means in different types of relationships, how to recognise pressure and coercion, and how to respond safely. The lesson also supports pupils’ wellbeing by reinforcing help-seeking and boundaries around sexual activity, aligning with Ofsted expectations for age-appropriate, accurate sexual health education delivered sensitively.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• WALT explain what consent means and describe key features of consent (freely given, informed, ongoing, reversible)
• WALT identify signs of pressure, coercion, and exploitation and explain why consent is not valid in these situations
• WALT practise respectful communication and safety-focused decision-making when boundaries are unclear
• WALT name trusted adults and appropriate services they can contact if they feel unsafe or worried about sexual health or relationships

Success criteria

I can…

• explain the difference between consent and pressure, and give examples of each
• list the conditions needed for consent to be real (and why it can be withdrawn)
• describe at least two safe responses if someone says “no”, freezes, or seems uncomfortable
• say who I can talk to and what I can do if I am worried, including if something goes wrong

Curriculum links

• Relationships and Sex Education (RSE): Secondary — knowledge needed to keep themselves and others safe, including avoiding unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections
• Health and wellbeing: Secondary — accurate, straightforward language appropriate to students’ level of understanding
• Health and wellbeing: Secondary — take care with sensitive discussion and ensure teachers are equipped to respond to disclosures appropriately

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Settling hook

• Teacher displays a “Think–Pair–Share” prompt: “What does consent mean in relationships?”
• Students think quietly, then discuss in pairs, aiming to use precise words (e.g., freely given, informed, ongoing).

2. 5–15 min · Direct teach: consent basics

• Teacher teaches consent using a simple, student-friendly framework: freely given, informed, ongoing, reversible; no means no; silence or uncertainty means no.
• Students complete a quick “match and explain” task: teacher provides short scenario statements; students decide if consent is present and write one justification sentence.

3. 15–25 min · Pressure, coercion and exploitation

• Teacher introduces common ways pressure can show up: threats, intimidation, peer influence, “everybody does it”, intoxication, unequal power, hiding or ignoring boundaries.
• Students sort examples into categories: “consent likely present”, “pressure/coercion”, “not enough information/unclear”, then share one example with the class and explain why it fits.

4. 25–35 min · Safety responses and respectful communication

• Teacher models safe scripts for boundaries and uncertainty (e.g., “I’m not comfortable—let’s stop”; “Are you sure? I want to respect your answer”; “We should talk to someone we trust.”).
• Students practise in small groups using role-card prompts focused on communication and safeguarding (no explicit sexual acts required). Each group records two “safe next steps” on a whiteboard or worksheet.

5. 35–42 min · Help-seeking and sexual health signposting

• Teacher reinforces that if someone feels unsafe, pressured, or worried about sexual health, they should seek help from trusted adults and appropriate services; emphasise confidentiality limits and safeguarding processes.
• Students complete a “Help list” activity: identify one trusted adult in school/community and two options outside class (e.g., school nurse/PSHE lead, local sexual health clinic, helpline). No personal disclosures—this is about general pathways.

6. 42–45 min · Exit ticket

• Teacher asks three questions on a slip: (1) Define consent in your own words (2) Give one sign that consent is not real (3) Name one action you can take if worried or unsafe.
• Students submit for quick formative assessment.

Resources

• Scenario cards (pressure/coercion vs consent) with age-appropriate wording
• “Consent framework” diagram on paper or slide for reference
• Role-card prompts for respectful communication practice
• Exit ticket slips or form
• Help list template (blank spaces for trusted adult/service categories)
• Markers/whiteboards or paper for group work
• Optional anonymous question box (paper slips) for closure

Assessment

• Teacher observes pair and group discussions using a short checklist: correct use of consent language, ability to justify decisions, and respectful communication
• Scenario sorting task checks misconceptions (e.g., confusing consent with compliance)
• Exit ticket confirms understanding of consent features, recognition of unsafe situations, and help-seeking actions

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters for students who need support (e.g., “Consent is…”, “Pressure looks like… because…”)
• Offer a word bank for key terms (consent, freely given, informed, ongoing, reversible, pressure, coercion, boundaries, help-seeking)
• For confident students, add an extension prompt on the same task: “What would make this situation clearly safe/unsafe?” without introducing explicit detail
• For EAL/SEN, use simplified scenarios and allow verbal responses to be recorded by the teacher or through matching activities; ensure group roles are clearly defined (reader, writer, reporter)