Your Trusted Support Team PSHE lesson plan
A primary PSHE lesson for Years 1 and 2 that helps UK teachers introduce the idea of trusted helpers through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Pupils learn to recognise when a problem feels too big to solve alone, and practise simple steps for finding safe, trusted support in different environments. The lesson gives teachers a calm, procedural way to build early safety language without needing to respond to a specific incident first.
Keeping Safe & First Aid
Snapshot
Your Trusted Support Team
The lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce trusted helpers and safe help-seeking using simple, age-appropriate language.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Recognising when a problem is too big to solve alone and knowing who to ask for help
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 a problem feels too big to solve alone
identify signs that a situation needs adult help
recognise trusted adults in different environments, such as home, school and the community
Understand
understand that asking for help is a safe and sensible choice, not a failure
understand that different environments may have different trusted helpers
Practise
practise naming people in their own trusted support team
practise simple steps for asking a trusted adult for help
practise thinking through who to turn to in different places
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for Years 1 and 2 pupils who are beginning to learn about safety, trust and asking for help.
It is suitable for:
primary PSHE lessons
relationships education
pastoral care, circle time or form time
early safety and protective behaviours work
whole class discussions about staying safe in different environments
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 safety and help-seeking language Use when pupils are first learning simple language for recognising problems and identifying trusted adults.
Reinforcing class safety routines Use when revisiting who pupils can turn to at school if they need help.
Preparing pupils for new environments Use when pupils are exploring different places they visit, such as home, school or the community, and who might help them there.
Building on relationships education units Use to add a safety focus alongside existing PSHE or relationships education topics.
Supporting transition points Use when pupils are moving into a new class, year group or setting and need to know who to ask for help.
Creating a structured PSHE discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led discussion about staying safe and finding help.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Young pupils need simple, dependable language for recognising when a problem is too big to manage alone and for knowing who they can turn to. Keeping pupils safe is not only about responding after something goes wrong. It is also about building early readiness, helping pupils notice when a situation needs adult support and giving them the confidence to ask for it without hesitation. This lesson supports a safer classroom and school community by helping pupils understand that trusted helpers exist in every environment they move through, and that reaching out for support is a sensible, everyday skill rather than a last resort.
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
Safety awareness Pupils learn to notice when a problem feels too big to manage alone.
Help-seeking Pupils practise identifying and approaching a trusted adult for support.
Problem-solving Pupils think through who to turn to in different environments.
Communication skills Pupils practise simple, clear language for asking for help.
Confidence Pupils build assurance that asking for help is a sensible choice.
Belonging and trust Pupils recognise that safe, caring adults exist in different parts of their life.
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 personal stories
Identify the trusted adults pupils can go to at school before the lesson begins
Make clear that needing help is a sensible choice, not something to feel embarrassed about
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
During delivery
Use simple, concrete examples such as feeling lost, feeling unsafe or needing help with something too big to manage alone
Give pupils time to name people in their own trusted support team
Keep the focus on different environments, such as home, school and the community, without going into specific risks
Allow pupils to respond through discussion, drawing or partner talk depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Reinforce that asking for help is responsible, not something to worry about
Use general examples rather than personal disclosures
Follow your school's safeguarding procedures if concerns arise during the lesson
Adaptation options
Use partner talk or drawing for pupils who are less confident speaking aloud
Spend more time identifying trusted adults if pupils need extra support
Revisit the lesson later in the year to reinforce the trusted support team idea
Any discussion touching on home environments should be handled with care, keeping the focus on general trusted adults rather than specific family situations.
