No, Go, Tell! wellbeing lesson plan
No, Go, Tell! is a ready-to-teach wellbeing lesson for Foundation Year that helps Australian teachers introduce simple, practical steps for staying safe when something feels wrong. Students learn a straightforward response, saying no, moving away and telling a trusted adult, when they feel unsafe, uncomfortable or unsure. The lesson gives teachers a structured way to talk about personal safety, privacy and boundaries using calm, age appropriate language, without needing specialist training in child protection or first aid.
Keeping Safe & First Aid
Snapshot
No, Go, Tell!
This lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce the No, Go, Tell steps using simple, repeatable language Foundation students can practise.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Recognising unsafe situations and practising safe help-seeking steps
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What students will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
Recognise the difference between a safe feeling and an unsafe or uncomfortable feeling
Recognise situations where someone is not respecting their body, privacy or personal space
Recognise a trusted adult they can go to at school and at home
Understand
Understand that they have the right to say no if something feels wrong
Understand that telling a trusted adult is a safe and responsible choice, not a bad one
Practise
Practise saying no clearly in a simple, age appropriate scenario
Practise moving away from an unsafe or uncomfortable situation
Practise the words they would use to tell a trusted adult what happened
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for Foundation Year students who are beginning to learn early personal safety language, including how to recognise unsafe feelings and ask for help. It does not assume prior teaching on protective behaviours or personal safety.
It is suitable for:
Foundation Year wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
pastoral care or circle time sessions
protective behaviours or personal safety programs
early respectful relationships and boundaries work
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, student 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 personal safety Use when students are learning early protective behaviours language for the first time.
Building classroom culture Use when reinforcing that bodies, privacy and personal space deserve respect.
Practising safe responses Use when students need to rehearse saying no, moving away and telling an adult in a low pressure setting.
Supporting help-seeking Use when students need to understand which adults at school and at home they can go to for help.
Reinforcing boundaries and consent Use alongside broader teaching on privacy, consent and personal boundaries.
Preparing for transition Use when students are moving into new settings, such as starting school, and need clear safety language.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Young students need simple, repeatable language for recognising unsafe moments and knowing how to ask for help, before they are ever faced with a situation that feels wrong. Personal safety is easier to teach and remember when it is broken into small, practical steps rather than abstract warnings. No, Go, Tell! supports this by giving Foundation students a clear response they can practise in a calm classroom setting. Rather than focusing on what might go wrong, the lesson builds confidence in what to do, saying no, moving away and telling a trusted adult. This proactive approach helps normalise conversations about privacy, consent and boundaries early, so students have the words ready if they ever need them.
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
Personal safety awareness Students learn to notice the difference between a safe feeling and an unsafe one.
Boundary setting Students practise saying no when something does not feel right.
Help-seeking Students identify a trusted adult and practise the words to tell them.
Communication confidence Students say the No, Go, Tell steps aloud in a supported setting.
Protective behaviours Students learn a simple, repeatable response to unsafe situations.
Trust in safe adults Students reinforce that telling an adult is a responsible, safe choice.
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 students not to name classmates or share stories about other people
Frame the discussion around general scenarios rather than personal disclosures
Identify the trusted adults students can go to at school before the lesson
Be prepared to follow your school's child safety, wellbeing or child protection procedures if a student discloses harm or says they feel unsafe
During delivery
Use simple, concrete examples such as someone touching without asking or being asked to keep an uncomfortable secret
Give students time to practise saying no and the words they would use to tell an adult
Keep the tone calm and reassuring rather than cautionary
Allow students to respond through discussion, drawing or guided role-play depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Reinforce that telling a trusted adult is always the right choice
Avoid asking students to share personal experiences in front of the class
Use general examples rather than real names or situations from the cohort
Adaptation options
Use guided role-play for confident groups
Use drawing or partner talk for quieter groups
Spend extra time identifying trusted adults if students need more support
Keep the message simple throughout: if something feels wrong, students can say no, get away and tell a trusted adult straight away.
