Understanding Consent

Overview

Year Group: Year 7/8
Setting: Special School
Subject: PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education)
Time: 45 minutes
Class Size: 9 students
Curriculum Link: This lesson aligns with the Relationships Education strand of the Statutory RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) curriculum in England, particularly:

• Respectful relationships, including the importance of respect for others, and the concept of permission-seeking and granting in relationships with friends, peers and adults.
• Online and media, particularly understanding the importance of consent in digital communication.

Level: Early Key Stage 3
Learning Objective:

• To know what consent means.
• To understand how to give and receive consent in everyday situations.
• To practise recognising verbal and non-verbal cues related to consent.

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Starter: “Yes, No, Maybe” (10 minutes)

Objective: To introduce the concept of choice in a safe, fun, and familiar context.

Resources:

• Prepared prompt cards with simple, age-appropriate scenarios (e.g., “Can I sit next to you?”, “Do you want to high five?”, “Can I play with your toy?”).
• Yes / No / Maybe paddles (these can be made from laminated cards with “Yes,” “No” or “Maybe” written clearly and colour-coded: green for yes, red for no, yellow for maybe).

Activity:

1. Sit students in a circle.
2. The teacher reads a scenario aloud.
3. Each student uses their paddle to show whether they would say yes, no or maybe.
4. Teacher encourages brief discussion after some of the more interesting responses.
   • “Why did you choose ‘maybe’?”
   • “How do you feel when someone says ‘no’?”

Teaching Point:

Highlight that everyone has the right to say yes, no, or maybe — and that all answers must be respected.

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Main Activity: Consent Charades (15 minutes)

Objective: To develop understanding of non-verbal communication, and to practise reading and expressing verbal and non-verbal consent or refusal.

Resources:

• Cards with different actions (e.g., “Give a high five”, “Share a book”, “Borrow a pen”, “Offer a sweet”, “Tickle a friend”, “Help with a coat”) — some appropriate, others less so to spark discussion.

Instructions:

1. In pairs or small groups, a student pulls a card and acts out the action towards a partner.
2. The partner responds using only facial expressions and body language to indicate “yes”, “no” or “maybe”.
3. The observing group discusses what consent was being shown and whether the action should have proceeded.

Teaching Point:

Consent can be both verbal and non-verbal. Emphasise watching and respecting what someone’s body or expressions are saying.

Teacher Prompt Questions:

• “Did the person seem happy with that?”
• “What signs showed that they were uncomfortable?”
• “What could you do instead if someone says no?”

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Interactive Group Task: Consent Station Circuit (15 minutes)

Objective: To consolidate understanding through active, pupil-led exploration of consent scenarios in different everyday contexts.

Set-up:

Create four stations around the room, each with a themed roleplay or activity focusing on daily situations where consent is required.

Station 1: Personal Space Game

• Students wear paper bibs that say “Too Close”, “Comfortable”, and “Far Away”.
• Others must find a comfortable distance with their partner, asking “Is this okay?” at each step.

Station 2: Tech Consent

• Students are shown printed mock “screens” with messages like:
  • “Can I take your picture?”
  • “Can I post this photo of you?”
• Match the correct response: Yes / No / Ask Again / Remove it.

Station 3: Helping Hands

• Roleplay offering help (e.g. tying a shoe, helping with a coat). Encourage learners to always ask first: “Do you want help?”

Station 4: Choice Tokens

• Students are given tokens: "I Choose Yes" / "I Choose No" / "I’m Not Sure".
• They practise handing over the tokens in mock scenarios to empower making their own choices.

Rotate groups every 3–4 minutes. Teacher-led or peer-supported rotation depending on individual student need.

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Plenary: Consent Superpower Cloaks (5 minutes)

Objective: Reflect on the importance and power of consent.

Resources:

• Pre-cut cloak templates (A4 card)
• Crayons, felt tips, stickers, glue, glitter, scissors

Instructions:

• Students write or draw on their "Consent Cloak" what they’ve learned they have the power to say — Yes, No, or Maybe — and that this power is their right.
• Encourage creativity – decorate with symbols of strength, friendship, respect.

Share:

• Invite students to wear their cloaks or hang them around the classroom as a reminder.

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Differentiation

The following strategies are embedded:

• Visual supports: consent paddles, scenario cards with pictures, colour-coded cues.
• Simplified language and modelling: Teacher models language and actions where appropriate.
• Safe spaces: Students can opt-out of roleplay and observe if preferred.
• Peer support: Mixed-ability pairs for support and modelling.
• Tactile options: Use of physical prompts (tokens, props) to engage kinaesthetic learners.

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Assessment for Learning (AfL)

Formative checks throughout:

• Observing student choices and reasoning in the paddle game.
• Participation in roleplay and correct identification of cues.
• Responses at consent stations — teacher to note understanding and areas needing reinforcement.

Teacher should keep anecdotal notes for individual learners’ progress in understanding consent and respecting peer choices.

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Extension / Homework

Consent in Real Life Brief (Optional Follow-Up): Ask students to collect three moments from the week where they...

1. Asked for consent,
2. Said no or maybe to something, or
3. Noticed someone respecting their personal choice.

Create a “Consent Wall” in next week’s lesson with examples written or drawn by students.

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Final Message

Consent is not just about saying yes or no — it’s about respecting ourselves and others. This active and accessible approach builds agency, safety, and respect in an age-appropriate and inclusive way.

Let’s make consent a superpower everyone has!