Understanding Positive Relationships

Overview

This 30-minute session is designed for Year 2 students (ages 6-7) and forms Lesson 3 in the "Building Positive Relationships" unit. It introduces key concepts of respect, kindness, and communication through engaging, age-appropriate activities tailored to the UK PSHE Association framework and the statutory Relationships Education requirements (DfE, 2020).

The lesson encourages active participation, promotes social and emotional learning, and helps children develop foundational interpersonal skills.

Learning Objectives

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

Identify what makes relationships positive, including respect and kindness.
Demonstrate simple ways to show respect and kindness through compliments.
Practice active listening skills to improve communication with peers.

Curriculum Links

PSHE Association Programme of Study for KS1 (Ages 5-7):

Core Theme: Health and Wellbeing; Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
Pupils learn to recognise what makes a positive relationship with family, friends, and others.
Encouragement of respect for others’ feelings and the value of listening.

Statutory Requirements (DFE Relationships Education, 2020):

Pupils should understand how to treat others with respect and kindness.
How to communicate effectively in a friendly way.

Resources

Soft ball or "talking stick" to pass around
Positive relationship scenario cards (simple illustrations & sentences showing acts of kindness/respect)
Large sheet of paper or whiteboard and marker pens
Compliment cards (small pieces of paper with sentence starters such as “I like the way you...”)
Emoji feeling cards

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

Gather the students in a sitting circle to encourage eye contact and group engagement.
Briefly revisit previous lessons on building friendships to connect learning.
Introduce today’s focus: "What makes a relationship good?" Use simple language:
"A positive relationship is one where we feel happy, safe, and cared for. We show respect and kindness to each other and listen carefully when others talk."
Show an emoji card (happy face) and ask: “What do we feel when someone is kind to us?” Allow a few responses.

2. Interactive Discussion with Scenario Cards (7 minutes)

Display 3-4 positive relationship scenario cards one at a time. Example scenarios include: “Helping a friend who fell,” or “Listening when someone is talking.”
Ask students: “Is this an example of a positive relationship? Why?”
Discuss the role of respect and kindness demonstrated in each card.
Write keywords on the board: Respect, Kindness, Listening. Add children’s own words if relevant.

3. Compliment Chain Activity (10 minutes)

Explain the activity: “We will pass this soft ball around and when you hold it, you will give a compliment to a classmate (something you like or notice about them).”
Model giving a compliment first, focusing on genuine and kind words (e.g., “I like how you always help others”).
Pass the ball carefully around the circle ensuring everyone gets a turn.
Encourage eye contact and remind children to listen carefully when it’s their turn.
Celebrate moments of good listening or kind words by applauding gently.

4. Active Listening Practice (5 minutes)

Pair the students (4 pairs) and ask them to take turns speaking for 30 seconds about their favourite hobby or game while the other listens quietly and looks at them.
After listening, the listener repeats back one thing they heard to show they were paying attention.
Bring the class back and ask volunteers to share their experience. Discuss why listening is important in friendships.

5. Conclusion and Reflection (3 minutes)

Recap the three key aspects: respect, kindness, and listening.
Ask a few children: “Can you tell me one way you can be kind to a friend?” or “How can you show respect?”
End with a group agreement: “We will all try to be kind and listen to each other every day.”
Reinforce positive behaviour with praise and remind students of next lesson’s topic.

Assessment for Learning

Observe participation in discussions and compliment activity.
Note children’s ability to use respectful language and attentive listening.
Use questioning throughout to assess understanding.

Differentiation & Inclusion

Provide sentence stems for children who need language support (e.g., “I like how you ...”).
Pair shy or less confident children with a supportive peer during listening activities.
Use visual aids (emoji cards, scenario pictures) to support children with additional needs.
Encourage positive peer modelling and celebrate small successes.

Extension Ideas (For use if time permits or as homework)

Create a “Kindness Tree” where children write or draw acts of kindness they notice during the week to display in the classroom.
Role play positive and negative relationship scenarios using puppets or toys (teacher-led).

Teacher Reflection Prompts

Did all students engage in giving and receiving compliments positively?
Were the children able to identify behaviours that show respect and kindness?
How did the active listening pairs manage? Are more practice sessions needed?
What adaptations worked well for children with different needs or language abilities?

This lesson plan creates a scaffolded and interactive approach to embedding fundamental relationship skills in young learners, vital for their social development within the Early Years and Key Stage 1 PSHE curriculum.