Repairing Relationships PSHE lesson plan
A PSHE lesson for Years 6 to 8 that helps UK teachers introduce practical strategies for repairing relationships through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Pupils learn how to reflect on communication breakdowns, use respectful language to repair relationships, and practise setting boundaries and seeking support when needed.
Healthy Relationships & Communication
Snapshot
Repairing Relationships
The lesson gives teachers a structured way to guide pupils through practical steps for repairing relationships after conflict or misunderstanding. Feedback: 4.2/5 from 81 teacher ratings
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Practical strategies for rebuilding relationships after conflict or misunderstanding
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What pupils will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
recognise signs that a relationship has become strained or difficult
recognise the difference between saying sorry and genuinely repairing a relationship
recognise when a relationship issue needs support from a trusted adult
Understand
understand how communication style can help or hinder repairing a relationship
understand the role of listening, honesty and respecting boundaries in rebuilding trust
Practise
practise using respectful language to start a conversation about repairing a relationship
practise setting and respecting boundaries during difficult conversations
practise identifying safe ways to ask for support when a relationship issue feels too hard to manage alone
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for pupils in Years 6 to 8 who are developing more complex friendships and peer relationships, and who benefit from practical language for repairing them when things go wrong.
It is suitable for:
secondary PSHE lessons
relationships education
pastoral care, circle time or form time
transition support between primary and secondary school
friendship and communication skills work
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, pupil maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing relationship repair skills Use when pupils need a structured introduction to communication and boundary setting after conflict.
Reinforcing communication skills Use when building on earlier work about respectful friendships or healthy relationships.
Supporting pupils through friendship changes Use to give pupils practical tools when peer groups or friendships are shifting.
Preparing for transition Use when pupils are moving between year groups or schools and need confidence in managing new or changing relationships.
Practising safe communication Use when pupils are learning how to have difficult conversations without escalating conflict.
Building help-seeking confidence Use when pupils need to understand when to involve a trusted adult in resolving a relationship issue.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Relationships between pupils naturally go through ups and downs, and knowing how to repair them is a practical life skill rather than something pupils are expected to work out alone. Repairing relationships is not only about resolving conflict when it happens. It is also about teaching pupils how to communicate honestly, respect boundaries and recognise when a relationship issue is too big to manage without support. This lesson supports pupils to see relationship repair as an active, learnable skill. Pupils practise language and approaches they can return to whenever a friendship or peer relationship needs attention.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Communication skills Pupils practise using respectful language to start difficult conversations.
Self-awareness Pupils reflect on how their own communication style affects relationships.
Empathy Pupils consider how misunderstandings and conflict affect others.
Boundary setting Pupils practise recognising and respecting personal boundaries during repair conversations.
Conflict resolution Pupils explore practical steps for moving a relationship forward after a disagreement.
Help-seeking Pupils learn when and how to involve a trusted adult in a relationship issue.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind pupils not to name classmates or share personal stories about specific friendships
Frame discussion around general scenarios rather than pupils' own current conflicts
Make clear that the lesson is about building skills, not resolving a specific dispute
Identify trusted adults pupils can speak to if a relationship issue feels difficult to manage
During delivery
Use general examples such as a disagreement in group work or a falling out between friends
Give pupils time to practise respectful language aloud or in pairs
Reinforce that repairing a relationship does not require direct confrontation and can involve time, space or a trusted adult
Allow pupils to respond through discussion, writing or paired talk depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Encourage privacy rather than promising confidentiality, since safety or wellbeing concerns may need to be shared
Remind pupils that some relationship issues need adult support rather than being solved alone
Be prepared to follow your school's safeguarding procedures and speak with the designated safeguarding lead if a pupil discloses harm or says they feel unsafe
Adaptation options
Use paired discussion for confident groups
Use written reflection for quieter pupils
Spend more time identifying trusted adults if pupils need extra support with help pathways
