Workplace Health Basics

Overview

Unit: Workplace Health Essentials (Lesson 1 of 6)
Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 11 students
Age Group: Year 13 (post-16 SEND employability and life skills)
Curriculum Alignment: National Curriculum for England – Employability and Health & Safety frameworks for post-16 learners
Teaching Context: SEND and life skills-focused employability class

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT understand key concepts of workplace health and safety.
• WALT recognise the importance of health and safety regulations in the workplace.
• WALT describe the role of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
• WALT identify legal responsibilities of employers and employees in relation to health and safety.

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Success Criteria

Students will:

• Clearly explain why health and safety is important in workplaces.
• Identify and describe the role of the HSE.
• List at least two legal responsibilities of employers and two for employees.
• Participate actively in discussion and group activities demonstrating basic knowledge.

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National Curriculum Links

• Health and Safety Education: Develop understanding of health and safety at work (Post-16 pathway curricula for SEND learners)
• Employability Skills: Understanding workplace rights and responsibilities (Employment and life skills programmes)
• Learners focus on:
  • Legal frameworks relevant to health and safety (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974)
  • Practical awareness of workplace hazards and safe practices
  • Communication skills through discussion and group tasks

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Resources

• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector for short video clip (3-4 mins) on HSE role
• Pre-prepared role cards for employers and employees’ responsibilities activity
• Laminated scenario cards for group discussion
• Worksheets summarising key points
• Large printed A3 poster of Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 key points (simplified)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Starter (10 minutes)

Activity: Quick group discussion and brainstorming

• Write question on board: Why do you think health and safety is important in the workplace?
• Students shout out ideas; teacher records on board
• Teacher links ideas to real-life examples related to their own previous work or daily life (especially focusing on SEND-relevant scenarios)
• Differentiation: Provide picture prompts for vocabulary support and use sentence starters for less confident learners (e.g. “Health and safety is important because…”).

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2. Introduction to Key Concepts (10 minutes)

Teacher Input: Brief presentation on:

• Definition of workplace health and safety
• Importance of keeping people safe from hazards (using straightforward language and clear examples)
• Short video clip introducing the HSE and its role in the UK workplace health and safety framework
• Explanation of legal framework – Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (simple overview)

Differentiation: Written notes provided; allow students to watch video twice if needed; reinforce key vocabulary visually.

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3. Group Activity – Roles and Responsibilities (15 minutes)

Task: In small groups (2-3 students), each group receives role cards as either employers or employees. Cards contain simple responsibilities statements e.g.:

• Employers: Provide safe working environment, provide training and protective equipment
• Employees: Follow safety instructions, report hazards to employer

Activity:

• Groups discuss what their role means and prepare to share examples
• Each group then shares with the class

Extension: Advanced learners to create additional responsibilities or identify consequences of ignoring them.

Differentiation: Speech-to-text apps or scribe support; use of visual icons on cards; clear step-by-step checklist.

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4. Scenario Discussion (15 minutes)

Task: Whole class activity using laminated scenario cards depicting common workplace situations (e.g. wet floor, faulty machine, fire drill).

• Students discuss in pairs: What should the employer do? What should the employee do?
• Class discusses answers together, guided by teacher to connect to HSE role and legal duties

Differentiation: Use simplified text scenarios or pictorial versions; pair stronger learners with those who need support.

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5. Plenary and Assessment (10 minutes)

• Quick quiz: oral Q&A or written (multiple choice or match terms) covering WALT points
• Students self-assess using success criteria checklist: tick off what they feel confident about
• Teacher provides formative feedback and highlights individual progress

Extension: Students who finish early can write a short reflection on why workplace health and safety is essential for their future job roles.

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Differentiation Summary

Group	Strategy	Support Material Provided
SEND learners needing support	Visual aids, sentence starters, simplified language	Vocabulary cards, pictorial scenarios
English Additional Language (EAL)	Key term glossaries and peer support	Bilingual resources if possible, visual cues
Advanced learners	Extension activities like creating new responsibilities, scenario consequences	Checklist, prompts to deepen understanding

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Monitor student engagement during group work, adjusting support as needed.
• Use flexible groupings to promote peer learning and confidence building.
• Check understanding through formative questions throughout the lesson.
• Adapt language to meet the abilities of each student, emphasising practical application.

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This lesson sets the foundation for the following sessions by building essential knowledge and confidence in understanding workplace health and safety, crucial for employability and safe working environments for SEND learners.