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Drug education

Lessons and knowledge organisers for KS1-5, developed for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

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Drugs and alcohol lesson pack illustration (800 x 600px)

 

Background

Updated for 2024! 

These update and extend our previous suite of lessons, which, according to NHS Digital’s latest national Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use survey, are among the most used resources in the country for covering this statutory drug education content with young people.

We’ve worked closely with experts at the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and other leading academics to ensure that all of the supporting evidence, information and statistical data is accurate and up to date. We’ve also included additional content on important areas  of increasing concern, including vaping and synthetic drugs.

The slide decks that accompany each of the lesson plans are available exclusively to PSHE Association members. Find out more and become a member. 

What's included?

  • Lesson plans (PDFs)
    Starting in KS1 with a lesson on how to manage risk in relation to household products and medicines and finishing in KS5 with a lesson on the risks and consequences of substance use when travelling, with lessons on everything in between.
  • Lesson slide decks
    Available exclusively to PSHE Association members, these classroom-ready PowerPoint versions of the lesson plans will enhance your delivery of the lesson content, with opportunities for pupils to follow the lesson activities on-screen.
  • Accompanying pupil resources
    You’ll find an impressive array of card sorts, scenarios, pupil fact sheets and more to keep your whole class engaged and support pupils’ progress.
  • Knowledge organisers
    Bitesize summaries of the key facts and essential knowledge for this topic, available for each age range (KS1-5).
  • Teacher guidance
    Read our comprehensive guidance prior to teaching any of the lessons, for support and advice on teaching this vital topic safely and effectively.
  • Evidence briefing
    We’ve drawn together key research into effective drug education within a wider PSHE education curriculum. Ideal for planning or reviewing the drug education component of your PSHE curriculum.
Lesson summary

  • Learning objective

    Programme of Study

    DfE statutory guidance

    Key stage 1 (Year 1-2)

    Lesson 1: Keeping safe

    To learn about things that go into bodies and onto skin and how they can make people feel.

    Lesson 2: Keeping healthy

    To learn about medicines, and the people who help someone to stay healthy.

    Lesson 3: Medicines and household products

    To learn about keeping safe around medicines and other household products.
    Healthy lifestyles

    H1. About what keeping healthy means; different ways to keep healthy

    H6: that medicines (including vaccinations and immunisations and those that support allergic reactions) can help people to stay healthy

    H10. About the people who help us to stay physically healthy

    Keeping safe

    H29. to recognise risk in simple everyday situations and what action to take to minimise harm

    H31. That household products (including medicines) can be harmful if not used correctly

    H33. About the people whose job it is to help keep us safe

    Drugs, alcohol and tobacco

    H37. About things that people can put into their body or on their skin; how these can affect how people feel
    Physical health and fitness
    • how and when to seek support including which adults to speak to in school if they are worried about their health
    Health and prevention
    • about personal hygiene and germs including bacteria, viruses, how they are spread and treated, and the importance of handwashing 
    Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
    • the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol use and drug-taking

    Key stage 2

    Year 3-4

    Lesson 1: Medicines and household products

    To learn about the safe use of medicines and household products.

    Lesson 2: Smoking, vaping and alcohol

    To learn that caffeine, cigarettes, vaping (e-cigarettes) and alcohol can affect people’s health.

    Year 5-6

    Lesson 1: Medicines 

    To learn how the correct use of medicines, and vaccinations, can help to maintain health and wellbeing.

    Lesson 2: Legal and illegal drugs

    To learn about some of the risks and effects of legal and illegal drug use.

    Lesson 3: Influences and pressure

    To learn about the reasons why people use drugs, and how to manage peer influence.

    Lesson 4: Tobacco, vaping and alcohol in the media

    To learn how mixed messages about drug use in the media can influence opinions and decisions.
    Healthy lifestyles (physical wellbeing)

    H1. how to make informed decisions about health

    H3. about choices that support a healthy lifestyle, and recognise what might influence these

    H4. how to recognise that habits can have both positive and negative effects on a healthy lifestyle

    Keeping safe

    H10. how medicines, when used responsibly, contribute to health; that some diseases can be prevented by vaccinations and immunisations; how allergies can be managed

    H40. about the importance of taking medicines correctly and using household products safely (e.g. following instructions carefully)

    Drugs, alcohol and tobacco

    H46. about the risks and effects of legal drugs common to everyday life (e.g. cigarettes, e-cigarettes/vaping, alcohol and medicines) and their impact on health; recognise that drug use can become a habit which can be difficult to break

    H47. to recognise that there are laws surrounding the use of legal drugs and that some drugs are illegal to own, use and give to others

    H48. about why people choose to use or not use drugs (including nicotine, alcohol and medicines)

    H49. about the mixed messages in the media about drugs, including alcohol and smoking/vaping

    H50. about the organisations that can support people concerning alcohol, tobacco and nicotine or other drug use; people they can talk to if they have concerns

    Safe relationships: 

    R28. how to recognise pressure from others to do something unsafe or that makes them feel uncomfortable and strategies for managing this

    Shared responsibilities:

    L1. to recognise reasons for rules and laws; consequences of not adhering to rules and laws

     

  • Learning objective

    Programme of Study

    DfE statutory guidance

    Key stage 3

    Year 7-8

    Lesson 1: Understanding drugs

    To learn about substance use and the risks and effects of caffeine consumption.

    Lesson 2: Tobacco and nicotine

    To learn about and manage influences relating to tobacco and nicotine product use.

    Lesson 3: Alcohol and risk

    To learn about the risks and consequences of alcohol use.

    Year 9

    Lesson 1: Vaping

    To learn about different influences and consequences that might affect decisions relating to vaping.

    Lesson 2: Exploring attitudes

    To learn about drugs and young people’s attitudes and behaviours regarding drug use.

    Lesson 3: The law and managing risk

    To learn about the potential legal consequences of using illegal drugs.

    Lesson 4: Alcohol and cannabis

    To learn about the short and long-term effects of alcohol and cannabis use on individuals.

    Lesson 5: Managing influence

    To learn how to manage peer and other influence in relation to substance use.

     
    Self-concept

    H5. to recognise and manage internal and external influences on decisions which affect health and wellbeing

    Drugs, alcohol and tobacco

    H23. the positive and negative uses of drugs in society including the safe use of prescribed and over the counter medicines; responsible use of antibiotics

    H24. to evaluate myths, misconceptions, social norms and cultural values relating to drug, alcohol and tobacco use

    H25. strategies to manage a range of influences on drug, alcohol and tobacco use, including peers

    H26. information about alcohol, nicotine and other legal and illegal substances, including the short and long term health risks associated with their use

    H27. the personal and social risks and consequences of substance use and misuse including occasional use

    H28. the law relating to the supply, use and misuse of legal and illegal substances

    H29. about the concepts of dependence and addiction including awareness of help to overcome addictions

    Managing risk and personal safety

    H30. how to manage risks to personal safety in increasingly independent situations, including online

    H31. ways of assessing and reducing risk in relation to health, wellbeing and personal safety

    Forming and maintaining respectful relationships

    R16. to further develop the skills of active listening, clear communication, negotiation and compromise

    R20. to manage the influence of drugs and alcohol on decision-making within relationships and social situations

    Social influences

    R42. to recognise peer influence and to develop strategies for managing it, including online

    R43. the role peers can play in supporting one another to resist pressure and influence, and access appropriate support

    R44. that the need for peer approval can generate feelings of pressure and lead to increased risk taking; strategies to manage this
    Drugs, alcohol and tobacco

    • the facts about legal and illegal drugs and their associated risks, including the link between drug use, and the associated risks, including the link to serious mental health conditions.

    • the law relating to the supply and possession of illegal substances.

    • the physical and psychological risks associated with alcohol consumption and what constitutes low risk alcohol consumption in adulthood. 

    • the physical and psychological consequences of addiction, including alcohol dependency.

    • awareness of the dangers of drugs which are prescribed but still present serious health risks.

    • the facts about the harms from smoking tobacco (particularly the link to lung cancer), the benefits of quitting and how to access support to do so.

    Key stage 4 (Year 10-11)

    Lesson 1: Assessing risk

    To learn about the impact of substance use on risk-taking and personal safety.

    Lesson 2: Managing influence

    To learn how to manage influences in relation to alcohol and other drug use.

    Lesson 3: Help seeking

    To learn about the potential consequences of drug production, sale and use, and support available for individuals with problematic substance use, including addiction and dependency.
    Self-concept

    H4. strategies to develop assertiveness and build resilience to peer and other influences that affect both how they think about themselves and their health and wellbeing 

    Health-related decisions

    H14. about the health services available to people; strategies to become a confident user of the NHS and other health services; to overcome potential concerns or barriers to seeking help

    Drugs, alcohol and tobacco

    H19. the consequences of substance use and misuse for the mental and physical health and wellbeing of individuals and their families, and the wider consequences for communities

    H20. wider risks of illegal substance use for individuals, including for personal safety, career, relationships and future lifestyle
    H21. to identify, manage and seek help for unhealthy behaviours, habits and addictions including smoking cessation

    Managing risk and personal safety

    H22. ways to manage risk and personal safety in new social settings, workplaces, and environments, including online

    H23. strategies for identifying risky and emergency situations, managing these and getting appropriate help, including where there may be legal consequences (e.g. drugs and alcohol, violent crime and gangs)

    Social influences

    R35. to evaluate ways in which their behaviours may influence their peers, positively and negatively, including online, and in situations involving weapons or gangs

  • Learning objective

    Programme of Study

    Key stage 5 / Post-16

    Lesson 1: Understanding risks and consequences

    To learn about the risks and consequences of drug use.

    Lesson 2: Medicines and substances

    To learn about different substances, including medicines, and how to seek reliable information about these.

    Lesson 3: Managing influences and seeking support

    To learn how different influences can affect decision making related to alcohol and other drugs.

    Lesson 4: Keeping safe

    To learn how alcohol and other drugs can affect personal safety.

    Lesson 5: Travelling and making decisions

    To learn how to make safe decisions related to alcohol and other drugs in contexts where young people are independent, including abroad.

     
    Managing risk and personal safety

    H15. to manage personal safety in relation to travel, such as cycle safety, young driver safety, passenger safety, using licensed taxis and getting home safely

    H16. to travel safely around the UK and abroad; understand legal rights and responsibilities when travelling abroad, including passport, visa and insurance requirements

    H17. to perform first aid and evaluate when to summon emergency services, irrespective of any potential legal implications, for example, when the situation involves alcohol, drugs, gangs or violent crime

    Drugs, alcohol and tobacco

    H21. To manage alcohol and drug use in relation to immediate and long-term health

    H22. to understand how alcohol and drug use can affect decision making and personal safety, including looking out for friends, safe travel and drink-spiking

    H23. the impact of alcohol and drug use on road safety, work-place safety, reputation and career

    H24. the risks of being a passenger with an intoxicated driver and ways to manage this

PowerPoint lesson plans 

These Classroom-ready PowerPoint versions of the lesson plans are available exclusively to PSHE Association members, complete with:

  • Teacher-only slides with clear guidance notes to support you through lesson delivery.
  • Pupil-facing slides to support engaging lessons.
  • A range of activities to deliver during lessons

KS1 slide exampleKS1 slide 3

 KS3 slide 1

KS4 slide 1

 

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