EYFS, KS1-2, KS3-4 and SEND lesson packs to help you cover this important statutory topic.
Our lesson materials, available exclusively to members, will help your pupils to make and maintain respectful friendships, manage any friendship challenges that arise, and identify and safely respond to bullying incidents.
24% of pupils aged 4-18 said they had experienced bullying in the previous few weeks according to a 2022 survey of over 30,000 children and young people. And this figure was even higher for pupils receiving free school meals (30%) and pupils with SEND (31%).
Experiencing bullying is associated with both short- and long-term impacts on mental health, emotional wellbeing, and sense of belonging in school. And the broader impacts upon school and life outcomes — for both those targeted and those who carry out bullying behaviour — are well-documented.
Schools are required to teach about friendship and bullying under the DfE’s relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance, which states that primary and secondary schools have a statutory duty to teach pupils: “about the features of positive relationships and strategies to support and improve respectful relationships, as well as identifying and finding support in relation to harmful behaviours such as bullying, discriminatory bullying and bullying in online contexts.”
Teaching about preventing and tackling bullying as part of a whole school approach will also help schools to meet important statutory safeguarding duties as outlined in the DfE’s Keeping Children safe in Education guidance.
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Learning objective |
Learning outcomes |
Planning Framework for Pupils with SEND |
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Key stages 1-2 |
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We are learning what makes someone a good friend to others. |
By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to: Core: give examples of things a good friend might do for, or with, us Development: identify the qualities important in a good friend Enrichment: describe ways in which our friends might help us with problems or difficulties Enhancement: explain ways in which we could be a good friend to someone else All: identify trusted adults who can give advice about being a good friend |
Self-awareness 4Core: Describe what makes our family, friends, teachers, carers special to us. Development: Identify some of the qualities our special people/friends may have. Enrichment: Give some practical examples of the ways our special people care for us and help us with problems and difficulties. Changing and Growing 4Enhancement: Explain the features of a healthy and positive friendship or family relationship. |
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We are learning how to get on and make up with others. |
By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to: Core: recognise ways to make up with others after falling out Development: identify how to be respectful to others Enrichment: identify how people would know that they are in an unhappy or unhealthy friendship Enhancement: explain how to end a friendship respectfully when it is making someone very unhappy All: identify what we can say or do if we are regularly unhappy in a friendship |
Self-awareness 5Core: Demonstrate some ways of ‘making up’ after falling out. Development: Identify how to treat ourselves and others with respect. Enrichment: Identify what might make someone feel that they are in an unhappy or unhealthy friendship or relationship. Enhancement: Identify kind ways of letting people know our feelings towards them have changed. |
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We are learning what is meant by unkind behaviours and bullying. |
By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to: Core: identify how unkind behaviours might make people feel Development: explain how people might feel if others are being unkind or excluding them and what they can do about it Enrichment: recognise bullying can happen online and how to manage this All: use key phrases |
Self-awareness 2Core: Identify when people are being kind or unkind – either to us or to others. Describe how this may make us feel angry, worried or upset. Development: Identify what we can do if others are excluding us or being unkind. Enrichment: Explain what is meant by hurtful behaviour and bullying. Recognise that this can happen online. Enhancement: Identify different positive responses we can take towards unkind behaviour and bullying. Recognise that this is unacceptable behaviour and that a trusted adult needs to be told about it. |
Key stages 3-4 |
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We are learning what makes a good friend. |
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Core: identify positive features of a good friendship Development: describe actions that someone can take to be a good friend Enrichment: describe different ways we can be kind, respectful and caring to others Enhancement: describe or demonstrate how to communicate clearly with friends All: identify trusted adults who can help give advice about being a good friend |
Changing and Growing 3Core: Identify our expectations of friendships / relationships (e.g. spending time together, sharing interests). Describe the positive qualities people bring to relationships e.g. kindness, support, being able to compromise, listening, sharing feelings or worries). Development: Explain how we expect people to behave towards us in friendships and relationships. Enrichment: Identify the aspects of relationships that we are responsible for (e.g. being respectful, honest and kind). Enhancement: Demonstrate strategies to help us negotiate and assert our rights in a relationship. |
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We are learning how to manage disagreements in a friendship. |
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Core: identify what can make friends upset, and what they can do if they feel sad Development: describe how friends can respond to a conflict or disagreement Enrichment: identify when behaviour in a friendship is inappropriate and how to respond Enhancement: explain what compromise means and evaluate ways to manage disagreements All: identify who can help if we have a disagreement with a friend, and how we can tell them |
Changing and Growing 3Core: Identify times when we might feel angry or sad because of someone’s behaviour towards us (Adapted from the Foundation stage in the Planning Framework). Changing and Growing 2Development: Explain that we might disagree with someone and still be friends. Demonstrate ways to manage friendship disagreements restoratively. Changing and Growing 3Enrichment: Identify positive strategies to manage inappropriate behaviour towards us. Enhancement: Explain what is meant by compromise and demonstrate some ways to compromise. |
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We are learning what is meant by bullying and hurtful behaviour. |
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Core: describe how behaviour can be hurtful and identify bullying behaviour Development: describe types of bullying behaviours and how bullying can affect someone Enrichment: explain how someone can respond to a situation where there is pressure to bully others Enhancement: demonstrate clear language we can use to challenge bullying or hurtful behaviour All: demonstrate how we can tell someone if we have seen or experienced bullying or hurtful behaviour |
Self-Awareness 4Core: Explain what is meant by teasing, hurtful and bullying behaviour. Managing Feelings 1Development: Identify things that we may say or do that could affect how we or others feel about us. Identify things that others may say or do that could affect how we feel about ourselves. Self-Awareness 4Development: Identify different types of bullying (including online) and what the impact of bullying might be. Enrichment: Describe strategies that can be used if someone is using pressure to persuade us to do something, including online. Managing Feelings 1Enhancement: Demonstrate polite and assertive ways of challenging unkind comments directed at us or others.
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We are learning how we can respond to bullying and hurtful behaviour. |
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Core: explain why bullying is always unacceptable Development: describe how to safely respond to bullying behaviour Enrichment: define the word ‘bystander’ and explain how we can overcome barriers to reporting bullying behaviour Enhancement: explain how safely responding to bullying behaviour can help others All: identify sources of support, both online and offline, who can help in reporting bullying behaviour, and demonstrate how to report bullying |
Self-Awareness 4Core: Identify different types of bullying (including online) and what the impact of bullying might be. Development: Identify strategies to help us if we are being bullied, including online. Enrichment: Recognise the responsibilities of bystanders to report bullying and hurtful behaviour. Identify trusted adults/services that can help us if we or someone we know has been the target of unkind, hurtful, abusive or bullying behaviour, including online. Enhancement: Demonstrate polite and assertive ways of challenging unkind comments directed at us or others. |
Support learning in the reception classroom in the prime area of personal, social and emotional development (PSED) as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
We’ve structured our first ever EYFS activity pack slightly differently to our materials for other key stages. See what's new.
At key stage 1 (three lessons), pupils learn about making friends, kindness, how to manage falling out, and what to do if they witness unkind behaviour.
At key stage 2, pupils learn about: the value of friendships, overcoming challenges and how to respond to bullying behaviour in Year 3/4 (three lessons). And about: including others, communicating respectfully, the impact of bullying and how to seek support, in Year 5/6 (three lessons).
At key stage 3 (four lessons), pupils learn how to maintain positive friendships, develop empathy, and prevent or challenge bullying. They also explore friendship challenges and ways to resolve them; and learn about similarities and differences between people.
At key stage 4 (two lessons), pupils learn: how to recognise and challenge bullying in a range of contexts; about challenging unhealthy attitudes towards bullying; and, where to seek support.
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