Understanding Permission Together

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📝 Lesson Overview

Curriculum Area: Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)
Key Stage: Adapted for Key Stage 3 students working at EYFS–Year 3 levels
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 9 students
Topic Focus: Consent

👀 Learning Objective (LO):

To know what consent means.

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🔗 Relevance to Statutory Guidance

This session aligns with the Department for Education’s Statutory Guidance on Relationships Education (September 2020), particularly the strand:

“Respectful relationships – Pupils should learn about the concept of personal boundaries, and the right to personal space, privacy and being safe.”

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⏰ Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Resources Needed
0–5 mins	Warm-Up: Feelings Check-In	Emoji feelings cards
5–15 mins	Circle Time: What Is Consent?	Mini puppets or character toys
15–30 mins	Interactive Game: “Yes/No Freeze!”	Music player, green/red signs, space to move
30–40 mins	Role Play & Recap	Scenario cards, visual cue cards
40–45 mins	Calm-Down & Reflection	"Thumbs up/down" sheets, soft music

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🧠 Differentiation Strategies

• Visual Support: Use Widgit-style symbols and visual cue cards for instructions.
• Sensory-Friendly: Activities include movement, soft toy prompts, and calming time.
• Short and Chunked: No task exceeds 10–15 minutes, with regular changes of pace.
• Adult Support: At least one adult available to scribe, repeat instructions, or support focus.

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🧊 Starter Activity (0–5 Minutes)

Feelings Check-In

• Display emoji feelings cards (happy, sad, worried, excited, angry).
• Let each child point to or hold up the card that matches their feeling.
• Helps settle the class and build an emotional awareness foundation.

Teacher Tip: This also gives insight into students’ readiness to engage today.

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👧🏽 Main Teaching Input (5–15 Minutes)

Circle Time: What Is Consent?

Activity: Using puppets or soft toys, the teacher models two short scenes:

1. Puppet A wants a hug from Puppet B, and B says “Yes” – both are happy.
2. Puppet A wants to hold hands with Puppet B, and B says “No” – and that’s okay. They find another way to play.

Key Talking Points:

• Consent is asking first.
• Consent means listening to someone’s answer.
• People can say yes or no—and we respect that.

Concept Word Bank Displayed: Ask, Yes, No, Stop, Choice, Safe, Respect

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🎲 Practical Activity (15–30 Minutes)

Game: "Yes/No Freeze!"

Instructions:

• Play music while the students dance around.
• Adult calls out a question (e.g., “Can I give you a high five?”).
• If the student wants to say “Yes”, they freeze with arms open.
• If “No”, they cross their arms.

Example Prompts:

• “Can I sit next to you?”
• “Can I take your book?”
• “Do you want a hug?”
• “May I share your pencil?”

Why It Works:

• Builds automatic understanding of listening and responding.
• Encourages fun while embedding a serious message.
• Gives EVERY child a voice in a safe, structured way.

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🎭 Role Play & Recap (30–40 Minutes)

Group work – 3 pairs with adult support:

Each pair is given a simple scenario card, e.g.:

• “Someone wants to play your game, but you’re not finished yet.”
• “A friend wants to hold your hand and you’re not sure.”

Role Play It:

• One student acts; the other responds showing “yes” or “no” choice.
• Use visual “Yes/No” cue cards to assist expression.

Group discusses:

• Did we ask first?
• Was the answer respected?
• How did it feel?

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🌈 Calm-Down & Reflection (40–45 Minutes)

Thumbs-Up Reflection Sheets: Each student sticks a sticker or draws a face by:

• “I know how to ask.”
• “I know what a ‘no’ might sound or look like.”
• “Saying no is okay.”

Play soft background music or use sensory tools.

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📚 Extension/Enrichment Suggestion

Create a “Consent Promise Poster” as a follow-up group activity for display in the classroom.

Each child traces a handprint and writes/draws one way they can show respect when someone says “no”.

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📦 Key Vocabulary

Word	Meaning (simplified)
Consent	Saying yes to something after being asked
Respect	Listening if someone says no
Personal space	The area around us we choose to share
Choice	You can decide what happens to you

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👨‍🏫 Teacher Notes

• Keep your language simple, consistent, and surrounding students with visual aids.
• If behaviour becomes unsettled, reference back to the "feelings" cards to label and help manage emotions.
• Praise all forms of communication – verbal, gesture, sign, or visual.

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🏁 Success Criteria

By the end of the session:

✅ Students can demonstrate what it means to say or hear "yes" or "no"
✅ Students begin to understand their right to choose
✅ Students can recognise that asking before touching or taking is the right thing to do

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💡 Teacher’s Reflection (Post-Lesson)

• Which vocabulary did students remember most easily?
• Did all students feel empowered to say “no”?
• Did any students display responses showing self-awareness during role play?

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Prepared by: AI Assistant for Inclusive Learning Excellence
Version: June 2024 (UK PSHE Compliant)