Rights and Inclusion PSHE lesson plan
A primary PSHE lesson for Years 5 and 6 that helps UK teachers introduce the rights we have in relationships, including respect, fairness and inclusion, through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Pupils learn to recognise what fair and respectful treatment looks like in friendships and relationships, understand why everyone has the right to feel included and safe, and practise respectful ways to communicate and respond when something feels unfair.
Diversity, Equality & Society
Snapshot
Rights and Inclusion
The lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce rights, fairness and inclusion in everyday relationships.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Understanding rights and fair treatment in relationships
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 when someone is being treated fairly or unfairly in a relationship
recognise examples of respectful and disrespectful behaviour in friendships
recognise that everyone has the right to feel included and safe in their relationships
Understand
understand that rights in relationships include fairness, respect and inclusion
understand that personal boundaries are part of healthy relationships
Practise
practise respectful language for expressing when something feels unfair
practise including others and recognising when someone is being left out
practise simple ways to respond when their rights, or someone else's, are not being respected
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for upper primary pupils in Years 5 and 6 who are building their understanding of fairness, respect and rights within friendships and relationships.
It is suitable for:
PSHE lessons
relationships education
pastoral care, circle time or form time
class culture and inclusion work
respectful friendships units
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 rights and fairness Use when pupils need a structured introduction to what fair and respectful treatment looks like in relationships.
Building classroom culture Use when reinforcing respect, inclusion and fair treatment as part of everyday class expectations.
Supporting inclusion Use when pupils need support understanding why everyone has the right to feel included and valued.
Reinforcing respectful friendships Use when revisiting what respectful communication and boundaries look like in peer relationships.
Practising safe responses Use when pupils are learning how to speak up respectfully when something feels unfair.
Preparing for transition Use when peer groups are changing and pupils need a shared understanding of fair and respectful treatment.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Pupils need practical language for understanding what fair and respectful treatment looks like before they can recognise when something is not right. Learning about rights in relationships is not only about responding to unfairness when it happens. It is also about helping pupils understand, early, that everyone has the right to be treated with respect, included and listened to in their friendships. This lesson supports a classroom culture where fairness and inclusion are understood as shared expectations, not just values discussed in the abstract. Pupils learn that they can speak up respectfully and ask for support when something does not feel fair.
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
Social awareness Pupils notice when someone is treated unfairly or left out.
Empathy Pupils consider how unfair treatment affects others.
Communication skills Pupils practise respectful language for raising concerns about fairness.
Self-advocacy Pupils learn to recognise and express their own rights in relationships.
Inclusion Pupils reinforce that everyone has the right to feel included and valued.
Help-seeking Pupils learn when to ask a trusted adult for support with unfair treatment.
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 other people's stories
Frame discussion around general examples and scenarios, not personal situations
Make clear that the lesson is about understanding rights and fairness, not assigning blame
Identify trusted adults pupils can speak to at school
During delivery
Use everyday examples such as being left out, dismissed or treated unfairly
Give pupils time to discuss and practise respectful language aloud
Reinforce that pupils do not need to manage unfair treatment alone
Allow pupils to respond through discussion, writing or paired talk depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Keep examples general rather than tied to real people or events
Reinforce that asking for help with unfair treatment is a responsible choice
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 or small group discussion for confident classes
Use written reflection for quieter groups
Spend more time on trusted adults if pupils need support identifying help pathways
