Keeping Safe Together

Overview

This 60-minute PSHE session for Years 7-9 focuses on community safety. It explores key themes of personal safety, community resources, and mutual responsibilities within the community. This lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for England, specifically addressing health and wellbeing, relationships, and living in the wider world strands.

National Curriculum Links

Health and wellbeing: Pupils should be taught how to recognise and manage risks in different places, including online, and develop strategies to manage or prevent dangerous situations.
Relationships: Develop understanding of respect for themselves and others within a community framework.
Living in the wider world: Learn about the role of public services and agencies in community safety and how to access them.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

Understand key personal safety strategies appropriate for their age and community environment.
Identify important community resources and services that support safety (e.g., police, fire service, youth workers, local charities).
Recognise their responsibilities towards others in maintaining a safe and supportive community environment.
Develop practical skills for assessing risks in everyday settings and making safe decisions.

Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

“Safety Snapshot”:

Pupils write down 3 places where they feel safe and 3 where they feel less safe within their community.
In small groups, share and discuss what factors contribute to feeling safe or unsafe in those places.
Gather a few ideas on the board to highlight common safety concerns and positive examples.

Purpose: This activates prior knowledge and personal experience related to community safety.

2. Teacher Input & Discussion (15 minutes)

Key Discussion Points:

Define personal safety – what it means for young people in their community.
Common risks young people face: public spaces, online environments, peer pressure.
Introduce community resources: role of emergency services, local support groups, how and when to contact them.
Responsibilities: respecting others’ safety, reporting concerns, supporting those in distress.

Teaching Tip: Use real-life scenarios relatable to pupils’ age group and community context to illustrate points.

3. Main Activity – Group Scenario Role-Play (20 minutes)

Divide class into groups of 4-5. Each group receives a different scenario involving community safety (examples below).
Groups discuss and plan responses, considering personal safety, resources available, and responsibilities.
Scenarios could include:
Witnessing bullying in a park
Finding a vulnerable person in distress
Dealing with strangers or suspicious behaviour
Responding to a minor accident in a public place
Groups perform a brief role-play for the class demonstrating their chosen approach.

Purpose: Develops decision-making, teamwork, and communication skills in safety-related contexts.

4. Reflection and Peer Feedback (10 minutes)

After each role-play, class provides constructive feedback focused on what was handled well and alternative strategies.
Pupils reflect in their books or journals on one new thing they learned about community safety.

5. Plenary – Quick Quiz and Safety Commitment (5 minutes)

Quick whole-class quiz to recap: key resources, safety strategies, and responsibilities discussed.
Each pupil writes a personal "Safety Commitment" statement: one action they will take to promote safety in their community.

Assessment Ideas

Formative assessment through observation during group discussions, role-plays, and feedback sessions.
Written reflections captured in PSHE journals.
Exit quiz to check understanding of key safety concepts and community resources.

Resources Required

Scenario cards printed or projected
Whiteboard/flipchart for capturing starter ideas and quiz questions
PSHE books/journals for reflection
Optional: guest speaker (local community officer or youth worker) for future follow-up sessions

Differentiation

Provide simplified scenarios and sentence starters for less confident pupils.
Encourage more able groups to include considerations of online safety and wider societal responsibilities.
Support pupils with additional needs through paired work or adult support during role-play.

Extension Ideas

Homework: Create a “Community Safety Guide” poster for their neighbourhood incorporating local resources and safety tips.
Organise a visit or virtual tour of local emergency services or community centres to deepen understanding.

Delivering this session will empower pupils aged 11-14 with practical knowledge and skills to keep themselves and others safe, fostering responsible, proactive citizenship grounded in the National Curriculum expectations for PSHE.

Teaching Instructions