Friendship and Support

Overview

Unit: Understanding Relationships and Families
Lesson: 6 of 8
Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 8 students
Subject: PSHE
Age group: KS3 (11-14 years)
UK Curriculum Link:

• PSHE Association Programme of Study:
  • Relationships – Recognising and managing friendship and peer influences (KS3)
  • Social and Emotional Wellbeing – Developing skills for supporting oneself and others
• Statutory content from the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education guidance (England) – focusing on positive friendships, healthy relationships, and recognising support networks.

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Learning Objectives

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

• Identify and articulate key qualities of a good friend.
• Explain why friendship and mutual support are important for wellbeing.
• Demonstrate active listening and empathetic communication skills.
• Reflect on their own friendships and recognise ways to support others.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Paper and coloured pens/pencils for each student
• “Friendship Qualities” prompt cards (prepared beforehand)
• Scenario cards describing friendship dilemmas (3-4 variations)
• Emotions emoji cards or printouts
• Timer or stopwatch
• Reflection worksheets (simple self-assessment questions)

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Lesson Structure

1. Welcome and Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Greet students and briefly recap last lesson about families and relationships.
• Icebreaker: "Two Truths and a Friendship Lie" (students say two true qualities about friendships they value and one false – peers guess which is false).
• Purpose: Set a positive, open tone and connect prior knowledge.

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2. Introduction to Friendship Qualities (10 minutes)

• Teacher explains the concept: What makes a good friend?
• Use “Friendship Qualities” prompt cards with words such as trustworthy, kind, respectful, supportive, honest, good listener, forgiving.
• Students work in pairs to discuss and rank the top 5 qualities they think are most important. Encourage reasoning behind choices.
• Share outcomes briefly as a group. Note that different people value different qualities, all are valid.

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3. Group Activity: Mutual Support Role-Play (15 minutes)

• Divide the class into small mixed groups (4 per group with 2 students in each group for this demo—adjust as needed for 8 students).
• Give each group a scenario card presenting a common friendship challenge e.g.:
  • A friend feeling left out during a social event.
  • Supporting a friend dealing with exam stress.
  • Resolving a misunderstanding between friends.
• Students role-play one scene where one person is the friend needing support and the other responds using the friendship qualities discussed.
• Encourage use of empathetic communication (e.g., “I hear you...”, “That sounds tough...”).
• Groups swap roles/scenarios if time allows.

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4. Whole-Class Reflection and Discussion (10 minutes)

• Gather students and use the whiteboard to capture key reflections:
  • What did you notice about supporting a friend?
  • How did it feel to listen and respond kindly?
  • Why is it important to have support in friendships?
• Introduce the idea that friendships can impact mental health positively or negatively, so being a good friend is important to both parties’ wellbeing.

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5. Student Self-Reflection and Commitment (5 minutes)

• Distribute reflection worksheets with prompts such as:
  • “What is one quality I will try to show more as a friend?”
  • “How can I support friends when they are upset or stressed?”
• Students complete quietly, then share one commitment with the class (optional).
• Teacher praises contributions and reminds of upcoming lesson on recognising unhealthy friendships.

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Differentiation & Inclusion

• Provide sentence starters or word banks for students with additional needs.
• Offer role-play options for varying confidence levels (e.g., scripting parts if needed).
• Ensure scenarios represent a range of backgrounds and family situations.
• Encourage use of non-verbal communication for those who find speaking challenging.

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Assessment

• Formative through observation during pair/group discussions and role-plays.
• Review student reflection worksheets for understanding and attitude towards friendship.
• Teacher notes any students needing further support or follow-up.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a “Friendship Tree” poster collaboratively showing qualities and support ideas for display.
• Set a small “Friendship Challenge” for the week: perform and note one supportive action for a friend.
• Use digital tools (if available) to create a short animation or comic strip depicting friendship qualities.

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Final Notes

This lesson develops emotional literacy, empathy, and communication skills aligned to PSHE best practices recommended by the PSHE Association and statutory guidance. It emphasises active engagement, collaborative learning, and personal reflection, providing a safe space for young adolescents to explore friendships and support—invaluable for their social development and mental wellbeing.