Year 3 PSHE Scheme of Work
Year 3 marks the beginning of Key Stage 2, and pupils' PSHE education becomes more reflective and analytical. Pupils are now ready to explore the complexity of human relationships more critically, to think about how they present themselves online, and to consider their place in a broader, more diverse world. The six units across the year are designed to build resilience, empathy and a growing sense of personal agency.
A particular emphasis this year is placed on the skills of critical thinking and perspective-taking. Whether pupils are navigating a friendship difficulty, evaluating an online source, or discussing equality and diversity, the underlying aim is the same: to develop thoughtful, compassionate individuals who are equipped to make good decisions for themselves and others. The online safety unit is introduced as a formal strand this year, recognising that pupils are increasingly active digital citizens.
Expected prior knowledge
- ✓Ability to name and describe a range of emotions and use some strategies for managing difficult feelings.
- ✓Understanding of what makes relationships positive or negative, including basic conflict resolution skills.
- ✓Knowledge of trusted adults and how to seek help in unsafe situations.
- ✓A basic understanding of community, money and belonging from KS1.
Units across the year
Six half-term units covering all strands of the KS2 PSHE programme of study.
Friendships and Bullying
- –Understand the difference between friendship difficulties and bullying.
- –Recognise forms of bullying including physical, verbal, relational and online.
- –Develop strategies for responding to bullying as a target, bystander or witness.
- –Compare scenarios to distinguish between a friendship falling out and persistent bullying behaviour.
- –Explore the concept of the bystander and discuss the responsibilities of those who witness unkind behaviour.
- –Create an anti-bullying charter for the class, agreeing on shared commitments to kind behaviour.
- –Practise assertive responses to unkind behaviour through structured role-play.
Healthy Lifestyles
- –Understand what contributes to a healthy lifestyle across physical, mental and social dimensions.
- –Evaluate personal habits and identify areas for positive change.
- –Develop personal goals around health and wellbeing.
- –Audit a typical week for health-promoting and health-limiting activities, using a structured self-evaluation tool.
- –Investigate the recommended amounts of sleep, physical activity and screen time for children their age.
- –Plan a healthy week and consider the barriers that might make it difficult to achieve.
- –Create a personal wellbeing goal and an action plan for achieving it.
Online Safety and Digital Life
- –Understand how to behave safely and responsibly online.
- –Recognise potential online risks including inappropriate contact and content.
- –Develop strategies for keeping personal information safe online.
- –Explore the concept of a digital footprint and discuss what information should and should not be shared online.
- –Evaluate a range of online scenarios and decide what action to take in each case.
- –Discuss the difference between online relationships and face-to-face relationships, including the risks of talking to strangers online.
- –Create a personal online safety pledge and share it with the class.
Personal Safety and Boundaries
- –Understand the concept of personal boundaries and body autonomy.
- –Recognise when a boundary is being crossed and know how to respond.
- –Know that no one has the right to make them feel uncomfortable in their body.
- –Introduce the concept of personal space and boundaries through the 'invisible bubble' exercise.
- –Discuss different types of touch — safe, unsafe, unwanted — and reinforce that body autonomy means the right to say no.
- –Explore scenarios in which a boundary may be crossed and practise responses including telling a trusted adult.
- –Discuss the difference between a surprise and a secret, reinforcing that no one should ask them to keep an unsafe secret.
Aspirations and Goal Setting
- –Understand what aspirations are and why it is important to have goals.
- –Identify short-term and long-term goals and the steps needed to achieve them.
- –Explore different jobs and careers and understand how skills connect to work.
- –Discuss what an aspiration is and share personal aspirations in a supportive circle-time setting.
- –Set a short-term SMART goal and create a step-by-step plan for achieving it.
- –Investigate a range of careers and the different skills and qualities needed for each.
- –Reflect on their own strengths and how these could connect to future aspirations.
Equality and Diversity
- –Understand what equality means and why it is important.
- –Recognise different forms of diversity and celebrate similarities and differences.
- –Identify unfairness and discrimination and understand how to challenge it respectfully.
- –Explore the concept of fairness versus equality using the famous 'box and fence' visual metaphor.
- –Discuss the nine protected characteristics in child-friendly language, with examples of how discrimination can occur.
- –Examine real examples of people who have challenged inequality and discuss their impact.
- –Create a class diversity display that celebrates the different backgrounds, interests and identities of all pupils.
Progression into Year 4
In Year 4, pupils engage more deeply with the complexity of relationships, both online and in person, and begin to address puberty in age-appropriate terms as part of the statutory RSE curriculum. The mental health and emotional wellbeing strand develops coping strategies and explores how to support others. Critical thinking around media and advertising is introduced, preparing pupils to be discerning consumers of information.
Individual lesson plans
Full lesson frameworks — learning objectives, vocabulary, lesson structure, and common misconceptions — for each unit in this scheme.
View all Year 3 PSHE lesson plans →