My Body, My Rules

Overview

Lesson 1 of 8 in Safe Relationships and School Life, designed for a class of 10 Year 7–9 students. Students explore body ownership, independence and self-care, distinguishing public and private body parts and practising ways to communicate consent and boundaries without sharing personal experiences.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• Name familiar body parts using accurate, respectful language.
• Distinguish between public and private body parts and situations.
• Understand that everyone has ownership of their own body.
• Communicate “yes”, “no”, “stop” or “help” using speech, AAC, signs, gestures or symbols.
• Recognise that some trusted adults may need to help with health or personal care.

Success criteria

• I can identify at least one body part.
• I can sort body-part cards into public and private groups.
• I can communicate a boundary using “yes”, “no”, “stop” or “help”.
• I can explain that my body belongs to me and identify an appropriate health or care exception.

Curriculum links

• Relationships education: respectful relationships, personal boundaries and recognising consent.
• Health education: physical health, personal hygiene, self-care and seeking help.
• Health education: recognising when something is unsafe or makes a person uncomfortable and knowing how to report concerns.
• PSHE development: confidence, independence, communication and decision-making.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Welcome, safety and hook Open with the opening question and safety slides: “Who decides what happens to your body?” Establish the right to pass, no personal disclosure, respectful language and the class signal for stopping. Explain that students may use speech, AAC, signs, gestures or symbols.

2. 5–12 minutes – Naming body parts Use the body-part teaching slides and a clothed doll to revise familiar body-part names, including head, hand, arm, leg, foot, chest, bottom and genitals. Model that accurate names are acceptable and that body parts are not “good” or “bad”; some are private. Students can point to the doll, select a symbol or repeat a word rather than naming themselves.

3. 12–22 minutes – Public and private sorting In two groups of five, students sort body-part cards and simple situation cards around public and private hoops, supported by the sorting instructions and examples. Include four target body-part cards for each student where appropriate. Discuss: “Could this body part normally be seen in public?” and “Does private mean secret?” Clarify that private does not mean a person must keep unsafe touching secret.

4. 22–30 minutes – Body ownership and self-care Use the body-ownership and care slides to introduce: “My body belongs to me.” Students explore the doll’s clothing and self-care routine, identifying when privacy is appropriate, such as changing clothes or using the toilet. Explain that a trusted adult may help with health, hygiene or personal care when this is needed, with the person’s dignity, safety and agreement respected as far as possible.

5. 30–40 minutes – Puppet role play: boundaries Use the role-play scenarios and a puppet to model short, non-personal situations: a greeting, unwanted tickling, asking before borrowing an item, and help with a health or care task. Students practise choosing or communicating “yes”, “no”, “stop” or “help” using the body boundaries communication sheet. Adults model accepting “no” immediately and asking a trusted adult for help when needed.

6. 40–45 minutes – Review and assessment Return to the recap and exit prompts. Each student identifies or communicates one body part, one public/private idea and one boundary word or symbol. Invite students to complete or point to the final section of the body boundaries communication sheet. Remind students that they can speak to a trusted adult if something worries them; do not ask for personal examples.

Resources

• the complete body ownership and boundaries slide deck
• the body boundaries communication sheet
• Clothed doll and spare clothing
• Two sorting hoops or large labelled mats: “Public” and “Private”
• Body-part and situation cards
• “Yes”, “No”, “Stop” and “Help” symbols
• Puppet or soft toy
• AAC device, communication board or symbol cards
• Visual timer
• Safeguarding and trusted-adult information available to staff

Assessment

• Emerging: identifies or selects one body part through speech, AAC, sign, gesture or pointing.
• Developing: sorts four body-part cards with prompts and communicates one boundary.
• Secure: explains or indicates that people own their own bodies and distinguishes public from private.
• Mastery: identifies an appropriate health or care exception and demonstrates consent language, such as asking, agreeing, refusing or seeking help.

Record observable evidence on a simple class checklist. Accept all appropriate communication modes. If a student discloses a concern, listen calmly, do not investigate or promise confidentiality, record accurately and follow the school safeguarding procedure.

Differentiation

• Provide a reduced choice of two cards, colour-coded hoops, symbol-supported instructions and repeated modelling for students working towards EHCP-style targets.
• Allow students to respond through pointing, eye gaze, AAC, signs, gestures, drawing or speech; provide extra processing time and avoid requiring eye contact.
• Use accurate but accessible language, a visual sequence and paired adult support for EAL learners; pre-teach “public”, “private”, “body”, “stop” and “help”.
• Extend confident students by asking them to explain why consent can change, why “stop” must be respected, and when a trusted adult may appropriately support health or personal care.