Year 5 PSHE Scheme of Work
Year 5 PSHE addresses some of the most challenging and important topics in the primary curriculum. Pupils are approaching adolescence and many will already be experiencing the early stages of puberty; the content this year responds to that reality with honest, factual and developmentally appropriate information. The growing and changing strand deepens the statutory RSE content introduced in Year 4, and relationships are explored with greater complexity, including an age-appropriate introduction to consent.
This year also introduces, for the first time, formal learning about the risks associated with drugs, alcohol and tobacco. This content follows statutory guidance and takes an evidence-informed approach: providing accurate information without sensationalism, developing decision-making skills, and helping pupils understand how to support themselves and others. Throughout, the emphasis is on equipping pupils with the knowledge, skills and language they need to make safe, informed choices — both now and as they move into secondary school.
Expected prior knowledge
- ✓Understanding of puberty as a natural process involving physical and emotional change.
- ✓Developed emotional literacy and a range of strategies for managing difficult feelings.
- ✓Knowledge of what makes relationships healthy or unhealthy, including the concept of peer pressure.
- ✓Critical thinking skills for evaluating online content and media messages.
Units across the year
Six half-term units covering all strands of the KS2 PSHE programme of study.
Growing and Changing
- –Understand the physical and emotional changes of puberty in greater detail.
- –Develop strategies for managing the changes and challenges of growing up.
- –Know where to find reliable information and support.
- –Review and deepen knowledge of puberty changes, including menstruation and voice changes, using factual, age-appropriate resources.
- –Discuss the emotional changes associated with puberty and strategies for managing mood fluctuations.
- –Explore reliable sources of information and support for young people going through puberty.
- –Create a personal 'growing up' guide for younger pupils that addresses common concerns reassuringly.
Mental Health and Resilience
- –Understand what resilience is and why it matters for mental health.
- –Develop a broader toolkit of strategies for managing stress and difficult emotions.
- –Learn how to support a friend who may be struggling with their mental health.
- –Explore the concept of resilience using the metaphor of a rubber band — stretched but returning to shape.
- –Investigate a range of evidence-based wellbeing strategies including exercise, nature, creativity and social connection.
- –Discuss how to recognise if a friend may be struggling and practise supportive, non-judgmental responses.
- –Create a personal resilience plan identifying three strategies they will practise regularly.
Online Life and Social Media
- –Understand how social media platforms work and the risks associated with their use.
- –Recognise the impact of social media on mental health, body image and relationships.
- –Develop strategies for managing online life in a healthy and safe way.
- –Investigate how social media algorithms work and how they can create echo chambers and increase engagement.
- –Examine case studies of cyberbullying and online peer pressure, identifying how to respond and seek help.
- –Discuss the impact of comparing ourselves to curated online images and how to build a positive self-image.
- –Create a personal social media agreement covering how they will use platforms safely and responsibly.
Relationships and Consent
- –Understand what consent means in the context of everyday relationships and interactions.
- –Recognise that everyone has the right to make choices about their own body.
- –Develop the language and confidence to assert personal boundaries respectfully.
- –Introduce the concept of consent using everyday, non-physical examples such as borrowing belongings or sharing photos.
- –Discuss the characteristics of relationships based on mutual respect and consent, contrasting with controlling relationships.
- –Practise the language of giving and withdrawing consent clearly and respectfully through role-play scenarios.
- –Explore the NSPCC PANTS rules and discuss how they apply to pupils of their age.
Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco Awareness
- –Understand what drugs, alcohol and tobacco are and how they affect the body.
- –Distinguish between legal and illegal substances and understand the legal framework.
- –Develop decision-making skills for situations involving pressure to use harmful substances.
- –Explore what is meant by a drug, covering medicines, legal substances and illegal substances using clear, factual information.
- –Investigate the specific health effects of alcohol and tobacco on the developing body, using age-appropriate resources.
- –Discuss why young people might feel pressure to use substances and practise assertive refusal strategies.
- –Role-play realistic scenarios in which pressure is applied, focusing on how to seek support and exit safely.
Transition and Change
- –Understand that change, including the move to secondary school, is a normal part of life.
- –Develop strategies for managing the emotions associated with significant transitions.
- –Build confidence and a positive mindset about new challenges and opportunities.
- –Discuss different types of change pupils have experienced and how they managed them, building a shared toolkit of strategies.
- –Explore specifically what changes when moving to secondary school, using factual information to address common anxieties.
- –Identify personal strengths and achievements to carry into the new school environment.
- –Write a letter to their future secondary school self, identifying hopes and strategies for the year ahead.
Progression into Year 6
In Year 6, pupils consolidate and extend all five PSHE strands in preparation for the significant transition to secondary school. The relationships strand addresses healthy relationships, equality and the concept of respect in detail. Identity and diversity are explored with greater sophistication, and pupils engage seriously with democratic citizenship and their rights and responsibilities. Financial wellbeing prepares them for greater independence.
Individual lesson plans
Full lesson frameworks — learning objectives, vocabulary, lesson structure, and common misconceptions — for each unit in this scheme.
View all Year 5 PSHE lesson plans →