Safe Learning Review

Overview

This 60-minute session is designed for Year 12 students nearing the end of their unit on "Safe Learning Environments". It provides a structured review of key concepts aligned to the National Curriculum for England, followed by focused assessment preparation. The lesson aims to consolidate understanding, clarify expectations, and boost student confidence for the upcoming assessment.

National Curriculum Alignment

Relevant National Curriculum Document:

• Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) Framework (statutory from September 2020)
• Key focus on Health and Wellbeing, and Relationships Education (KS5 equivalent approaches)

Learning Objectives:

• Demonstrate understanding of principles that underpin safe learning environments, including physical, emotional, and digital safety.
• Apply knowledge of risk assessment and mitigation in educational settings.
• Reflect on personal and collective responsibility for maintaining safety and respect.
• Understand assessment criteria and expectations relating to unit competencies.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Summarise the key elements of creating and maintaining safe learning environments.
2. Analyse scenarios to identify safety risks and suggest appropriate mitigation strategies.
3. Reflect on the role of communication and respect in fostering emotional safety.
4. Clarify the assessment format, criteria, and expectations to confidently prepare.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed scenario cards illustrating different safety challenges (physical, emotional, digital)
• Assessment criteria handouts (clear and student-friendly)
• Post-it notes and pens for student responses
• Timer

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Lesson Structure

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Greet class; outline objectives and agenda.
• Quick mental warm-up: Ask students to shout out one word that represents “safe learning environment”. Record responses visibly on the whiteboard.

Recap & Concept Mapping (15 minutes)

• Facilitate a guided whole-class brainstorm to create a concept map on the whiteboard identifying key components: physical safety, emotional wellbeing, digital safety, risk assessment, roles/responsibilities.
• Use probing questions to deepen recall and connect ideas, e.g. “What are some examples of emotional safety?” or “How does digital safety influence trust in a classroom?”
• This activity aligns with PSHE skills of self-management, critical thinking, and social responsibility.

Scenario Workshop (20 minutes)

• Divide students into pairs, give each pair 1-2 scenario cards illustrating safety challenges (e.g., cyberbullying, maladapted equipment, peer exclusion).
• Task: discuss and identify the risks, then devise 2-3 practical solutions or preventative measures.
• Each pair shares their scenario and solutions with the class for peer feedback, encouraging collaborative learning and communication skills.
• Teacher provides formative feedback, linking responses to curriculum standards on health and safety (PSHE Education).

Assessment Preparation (15 minutes)

• Distribute the assessment criteria handout. Review each part with the class, ensuring understanding of expectations: content coverage, analysis, practical application, presentation.
• Q&A session: Invite students to ask clarifying questions.
• Use sticky notes for students to anonymously post concerns or topics they want to revisit before assessment. Address key points as a group.
• Highlight strategies for revision and managing exam stress, referencing PSHE outcomes on wellbeing and resilience.

Conclusion and Homework (5 minutes)

• Summarise key takeaways.
• Homework: Students to create personalised mind maps linking unit concepts to their own learning environments; this will support self-reflection and assessment readiness.
• Encourage students to prepare two questions or points of uncertainty for next lesson’s final Q&A.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment through scenario discussions and class feedback.
• Informal peer and teacher feedback to identify knowledge gaps.
• Clear articulation of summative assessment criteria to guide student preparation.

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Differentiation & Inclusion

• Small class size (6 students) allows personalised support and scaffolding.
• Visual concept mapping helps learners with different needs consolidate knowledge.
• Scenario cards vary in complexity to challenge all learners suitably.
• Encouragement of verbal, written, and collaborative contributions caters to diverse learning styles.

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Reflection for Teachers

• Monitor student engagement during scenario activity to identify topics needing reteach.
• Use anonymous sticky notes to adapt final revision sessions to address common concerns.
• Collect mind maps as formative evidence of understanding and areas requiring reinforcement.

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This approach ensures compliance with the National Curriculum’s emphasis on PSHE, actively engages learners in synthesising knowledge, and strategically prepares them for successful assessment completion. The combination of visual, collaborative, and reflective activities offers a memorable and effective end-of-unit experience.