KEY
GOOD HEALTH
FRIENDS, RELATIONSHIPS & COMMUNITY
Content marked ** in Italic is Sex Education Content
B0 – B7
Encountered
B8 – B14
Engaged
B15 – B21
Developing
B22+
Independent
Families: that there are different types of committed, stable relationships. How these relationships might contribute to human happiness and their importance for bringing up children.
Create a pupil centred safe space where all pupils are free to be themselves and staff continuously develop their knowledge of each pupil.
Ensure communication aids are always relevant and available. Staff to be advocates for pupils and obvserve changes in behaviour closely.
Explore a variety of books/videos with different family dynamics.
Use role play opportunities like dolls and baby related toys to develop understanding of caring for others and home corners to role play familiar home occurrences. Staff model appropriate interactions.
Explore a variety of books/videos with different family and relationship dynamics.
Use RSHE dolls and resources to explore various relationship timelines and examples. Get pupils to identify what makes good parents and that some people in a relationship or by themselves might plan to have a child by reviewing the situation and stability.
Explore a variety of books/videos with different family and relationship dynamics.
Use RSHE dolls and resources to explore various relationship timelines and examples. Get pupils to identify what makes good parents and that some people in a relationship or by themselves might plan to have a child by reviewing the situation and stability.
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Mental wellbeing: how to talk about their emotions accurately and sensitively, using appropriate vocabulary.
Offer regulation techniques when pupils begin to feel dysregulated and overwhelmed.
Allow pupils to explore music, sensory cooking and mark making with different resources.
Encourage pupils to identify and express their emotions.
Staff to support pupils to reflect upon events to explore the appropriate and proportionate response.
Encourage pupils to identify and express a wider range of emotions.
Staff to support pupils to reflect upon events to explore the appropriate and proportionate response.
Pupils will identify and express a wide range of emotions and use regulation techniques.
Discuss extreme emotions and that we might need help to deal with them at times such as triggers, events or continuously feeling an emotion.
Physical health and fitness: the positive associations between physical activity and promotion of mental wellbeing, including as an approach to combat stress
Provide opportunities to explore physical activities such as sensory swimming/ water play, dance, outdoor spaces and equipment (throw, balance, climb, spin, swing, tilt, squeeze) to develop preferences.
Allow pupils to explore music, sensory cooking and mark making with different resources.
Provide opportunities to explore a range of physical activities to develop preferences and impact of how the activity makes them feel .
Explore how different activities make them feel and discuss what the benefits of exercise are for the mind and body. Ensure communication aids are in place to support with this.
Allow opportunities to explore a range of physical activities to show a variety of hobbies that are available to them.
Discuss the importance, benefits and the amount of physical activity that is recommended to stay healthy and reduce stress.
Discuss the importance, benefits and the amount of physical activity that is recommended to stay healthy and reduce stress.
Allow opportunities to explore a range of physical activities to show a variety of hobbies that are available to them.
Healthy eating: how to maintain healthy eating and the links between a poor diet and health risks, including tooth decay and cancer.
Explore a variety of foods with the pupil as part of sensory cooking and Sensolgy.
Encourage pupils to make preferences and request food and drink using their preferred communication method.
Ensure communication aids are kept up to date with food and drink preferences.
Explore a variety of foods with the pupil as part of cooking, dinner and Sensolgy.
Discuss foods that should be eaten less often (unhealthy) and more often (healthy foods) and discuss food groups.
Encourage pupils to make simple snacks, preferences and request food and drink using their preferred communication method.
Ensure communication aids are kept up to date with food and drink preferences.
Explore a variety of foods and discuss food groups with the pupil as part of cooking, dinner and Sensolgy.
Discuss food groups and talk about food that should be eaten less often (unhealthy) and more often (healthy foods).
Talk about the consequences of eating too much unhealthy food on the body and teeth. Show the effects of food on egg shells (can model enamel erosion with fizzy drink and tomato sauce)
Encourage pupils to make simple meals, request food and drink using their preferred communication method.
Explore a variety of foods and discuss food groups with the pupil as part of food preparation and cooking.
Discuss food groups and talk about food that should be eaten less often (unhealthy) and more often (healthy foods).
Talk about the consequences of an unbalanced diet on the body and teeth. Make the Bristol stool chart out of chocolate to show what fibre and hydration does. Show different coloured liquid to represent the urine colours and what a heathy colour should be. Show the effects of food on egg shells (can model enamel erosion with fizzy drink and tomato sauce).
Science: content of a healthy human diet: carbohydrates, lipids (fats and oils), proteins, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and water, and why each is needed; calculations of energy requirements in a healthy daily diet; the consequences of imbalances in the diet, including obesity, starvation and deficiency diseases
Offer a variety of foods to try as part of Sensology and cooking.
Communication aids should be available to request them.
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Explore a variety of foods with the pupil as part of cooking, dinner and Sensology. Ensure aids are in place to request a variety of healthy choices and different food groups.
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Pupils create their own ‘Eat well plate’ and discover that each section creates part of a balanced diet and what the body needs to stay healthy.
Pupils create their own ‘Eat well plate’ and learn what each section provides for the body.
Discuss the impact of an unbalanced diet, using images where appropriate.
Respectful relationships: including friendships the characteristics of positive and healthy friendships (in all contexts, including online) including: trust, respect, honesty, kindness, generosity, boundaries, privacy, consent and the management of conflict, reconciliation and ending relationships. This includes different (non-sexual) types of relationship.
Class team to advocate for pupils’ regulators and motivators, including people, to ensure pupils feel safe with the adults supporting them and can tolerate the peers around them.
Staff to have good knowledge of each pupil and use shared interests/motivators to increase interactions and build relationships.
Class team to advocate for pupils’ regulators and motivators, including people, to ensure pupils feel safe with the adults supporting them and can tolerate the peers around them.
Staff to have good knowledge of each pupil and use shared interests/motivators to increase interactions and build relationships.
Staff to be vigiliant so they can recognise conflict (or one sided unkindness) and support to restore and reconcile. Staff to highlight generosity, trust and respect when shown by pupils so they can link this to positive relationships.
Staff to support pupils to recognise their own boundaries and to respect the boundaries of others.
Staff to be vigiliant so they can recognise conflict (or one sided unkindness) and support to restore and reconcile. Staff to highlight generosity, trust and respect when shown by pupils so they can link this to positive relationships.
Staff to support pupils to recognise their own boundaries and to respect the boundaries of others.
Use RSHE stories and resources so pupils can highlight positive and negative behaviours and use their problem solving skills to find solutions. Support pupils to problem solve and resolve conflict with increasing independence.
Support pupils to recognise the importance of treating people how we like to be treated.
Staff to be vigiliant so they can recognise conflict (or one sided unkindness) and support to restore and reconcile. Staff to highlight generosity, trust and respect when shown by pupils so they can link this to positive relationships.
Staff to support pupils to recognise their own boundaries and to respect the boundaries of others.
Use RSHE stories and resources so pupils can highlight positive and negative behaviours and use their problem solving skills to find solutions. Support pupils to problem solve and resolve conflict with increasing independence.
Support pupils to recognise the importance of treating people how we like to be treated.
Plan activities like listing characteristics of a good friend, what would you do role play/freeze frames etc.
Being safe: how people can actively communicate and recognise consent from others, including sexual consent, and how and when consent can be withdrawn (in all contexts, including online)..
Practice asking for consent during intimate and personal care.
Staff to verbally invite pupils to play, offer choices and respect when a pupil says no.
Interactive role-playing: Use fictional scenarios or role-playing to practice asking for consent in a variety of contexts. For example, role-play situations where someone asks to hold hands or hug. Discuss how to recognise a clear “yes” and what a non-consensual situation looks like.
Set expectations that pupils will ask for consent before any physical touch between staff and peers so it becomes a natural occurrence.
Interactive role-playing: Use fictional scenarios or role-playing to practice asking for consent in a variety of contexts. For example, role-play situations where someone asks to hold hands or hug. Discuss how to recognise a clear “yes” and what a non-consensual situation looks like.
Set expectations that pupils will ask for consent before any physical touch between staff and peers so it becomes a natural occurrence.
Use the doll sensory stories and other creative ways to teach that consent is a clear, voluntary, and enthusiastic agreement between all participants before engaging in any activity, especially sexual activity. Emphasise that silence, absence of resistance, or passivity does not equate to consent.
Key principles of consent: Explain that consent should be:
Freely given: Without pressure, manipulation, or coercion.
Informed: All parties should fully understand what they are agreeing to.
Specific: Consent for one activity does not imply consent for another.
Reversible: Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and activities must stop immediately.
Interactive role-playing: Use fictional scenarios or role-playing to practice asking for consent in a variety of contexts. For example, role-play situations where someone asks to hold hands or hug. Discuss how to recognise a clear “yes” and what a non-consensual situation looks like.
Verbal and non-verbal cues: Teach students how to recognize both verbal and non-verbal cues of consent. For example, a clear “yes” is a verbal confirmation, while hesitation or withdrawal can be non-verbal signs that someone is uncomfortable or not giving consent.
Everyday consent: Discuss non-sexual situations, such as borrowing items, hugging, or sharing personal information, to help students understand the concept of consent in daily interactions.
Ask directly: Encourage students to communicate openly and ask for consent explicitly, whether in a romantic or non-romantic context. This could be as simple as, “Is this okay with you?” or “Do you feel comfortable doing this?”
Listen to the answer: Reinforce the importance of listening to the response. If the answer is anything other than a clear and enthusiastic “yes,” they should not proceed.
Respecting a “no”: Teach that a “no” or a hesitant response must always be respected without pressuring or pushing for a different answer. “No” can also take the form of body language, like pulling away or seeming uncomfortable.
Changing adolescent body: key facts about puberty, the changing adolescent body and menstrual wellbeing; the main changes which take place in males and females, and the implications for emotional and physical health.
Keep a record of signs when the pupil is about to go on their period and a detailed intimate care log.
If the pupil appears aware of the changes have communication aids with appropriate symbols on and body parts.
Have communication aids and classroom symbols with body parts on and puberty changes.
Label body parts and changes when supporting with personal care and dressing.
Ensure hand washing is part of a regular routine throughout the day. Support pupils to wash their hands and develop independence in this skill. Support pupils to keep their body and clothes clean.
Use call and response, Attention Autism, songs and Sensology sessions to explore senses and link to body parts. “I have a body, a very busy body and it goes everywhere with me . . .”
Directed pupils to withdraw from touching genitalia for stimulation at school- noting that as puberty hits this will be an increasing desire for some and will likely impact behaviour (see RSHE policy for guidance). Have a picture of pupils bedroom and bathroom at home.
Discuss which areas of the body are private and when can we be naked or who can help/ show our privates to. Model public and private places using dolls. Have a picture of pupil’s own bedroom and bathroom at home. The Pantosaurus NSPCC resources are useful – pants cover up your private parts.
Ensure hand washing is part of a regular routine throughout the day. Pupils should develop independence in this skill.
Talk about dirty and clean hands and clothes to avoid being ill or smell. Pick an activity such as painting and then encourage pupils to wash their hand free of paint. Use sensory stories and dolls to model personal hygiene routine.
Use the dolls to compare and identify changes during puberty. Look at photos of themselves when they were younger and discuss changes in self and how they have changed growing up.
Explore the changes their body will go through as they reach puberty and what to do using sensory stories, dolls and models to facilitate teaching the changes and personal hygiene.
Directed pupils to withdraw from touching genitalia for stimulation at school- noting that as puberty hits this will be an increasing desire for some and will likely impact behaviour (see RSHE policy for guidance)
Use the dolls and sensory stories to discuss puberty changes in themselves including hair growth, personal hygiene and deodorant and the menstruation.
Practice placing a period pad on additional pants over their trousers to support independence.
Encourage pupils to name body parts when supporting personal and dressing. Ensure puils know where their private parts are, who can see them or help, what public and private parts are and where you can be naked. Pantosaurus NSPCC resources are useful – pants cover up your private parts.
Pupils should be able to identify when to wash their hands. Ensure hand washing is part of a regular routine throughout the day. Talk about dirty and clean hands and how germs can’t always be seen. Discuss that germs can make you ill. Do a demonstration of how easy germs can spread with glitter or paint and hand shaking. ask the pupils to wash their hands after to remove the pretend germs. Talk about washing clothes regularly to avoid them smelling.
Look at photos of younger self and examine changes in self and how they have changed growing up. Look at photos of familiar adults (as a baby, child, teenager and adult) and explore how they have changed.
Explore the changes their body will go through as they reach puberty and what to do using sensory stories, dolls and models to facilitate teaching the changes and personal hygiene.
Discuss and model what a period is using the large model and dolls. Use the dolls and sensory stories to discuss the personal hygiene, puberty changes and the menstruation cycle including what products can be used and personal hygiene.
Where appropriate share the changes in the opposite sex during puberty.
Practice placing a period pad on additional pants over their trousers to support independence.
Ensure Pupils know the correct terms for their body parts and which parts are private including public and private spaces.
Pupils should be able to identify when to wash their hands. Ensure hand washing is part of a regular routine throughout the day. Discuss that germs can make you ill. Do a demonstration of how easy germs can spread with glitter or paint and hand shaking. ask the pupils to wash their hands after to remove the pretend germs. Talk about washing clothes regularly to avoid them smelling.
Explore the changes their body will go through as they reach puberty and what to do using sensory stories, dolls and models to facilitate teaching the changes (such as periods, wet dreams, sweat/ body odour, sexual desire, breasts and bras, pubic hair and being clean, acne) and personal hygiene including the importance of personal hygiene routines (hair, hand, body and teeth).
Use photos of self and blank outline to label changes that happen during puberty.
Discuss and model what a period is using the large vulva model and dolls. Use the dolls and sensory stories to discuss the changes during puberty, hygiene, the menstruation cycle and what products can be used and personal hygiene. Remember to include the frequency of pad changes or other period products and the importance of keeping clean.
Share the changes in the opposite sex during puberty to reduce stigma.
Discussions can also include vagina health (discharge colours), erections and wet dreams.
Practice placing a period pad on additional pants over their trousers to support independence.
Intimate and sexual relationships: including sexual health; how to recognise the characteristics and positive aspects of healthy one-to-one intimate relationships, which include mutual respect, consent, loyalty, trust, shared interests and outlook, ** sex and friendship.
Continue to work on recognising that their body belongs to them through narrated intimate and personal care, postitive intensive interations, ensuring they feel safe and are treated kindly by those around them.
Continue to reiterate private parts and reduce behaviours that can increase vulnerability such as masturbation, removing clothes, touching others etc – ensure SBRA is in place for these pupils.
Continue to work on recognising that their body belongs to them through narrated intimate and personal care, postitive intensive interations, ensuring they feel safe and are treated kindly by those around them.
Continue to reiterate private parts and reduce behaviours that can increase vulnerability such as masturbation, removing clothes, touching others etc – ensure SBRA is in place for these pupils.
Continue to support pupils to build healthy and respectful friendships where they are confident to say no and feel safe.
Explore stories with loving partnerships and what these looks like – respect, loyalty, trust and shared interests.
Use staff knowlegde of pupils to create small groups of similar developmental level.
USe RSHE stories and dolls to focus on the key characteristics of healthy one-to-one relationships:
Mutual Respect: Highlight that in a healthy relationship, both partners value each other’s opinions, boundaries, and differences.
Consent: Teach the importance of mutual consent in any intimate or sexual relationship. Consent must be enthusiastic, informed, reversible, and ongoing.
Loyalty: Discuss loyalty not just as physical faithfulness but as emotional support, dependability, and having each other’s backs.
Trust: Explain how trust is built through honesty, communication, and following through on commitments.
Shared Interests and Outlook: Help students see that while partners don’t need to have everything in common, shared values, goals, or interests can strengthen a relationship.
** Friendship and Sex: Teach that friendship and emotional intimacy form the foundation of a healthy intimate relationship, and sex should be viewed as an aspect of the relationship, not the entirety.
Use staff knowlegde of pupils to create small groups of similar developmental level.
Focus on the key characteristics of healthy one-to-one relationships:
Mutual Respect: Highlight that in a healthy relationship, both partners value each other’s opinions, boundaries, and differences.
Consent: Teach the importance of mutual consent in any intimate or sexual relationship. Consent must be enthusiastic, informed, reversible, and ongoing.
Loyalty: Discuss loyalty not just as physical faithfulness but as emotional support, dependability, and having each other’s backs.
Trust: Explain how trust is built through honesty, communication, and following through on commitments.
Shared Interests and Outlook: Help students see that while partners don’t need to have everything in common, shared values, goals, or interests can strengthen a relationship.
** Friendship and Sex: Teach that friendship and emotional intimacy form the foundation of a healthy intimate relationship, and sex should be viewed as an aspect of the relationship, not the entirety.
Health and prevention: about personal hygiene, germs including bacteria, viruses, how they are spread, treatment and prevention of infection, and about antibiotics. The facts and science relating to immunisation and vaccination.
Ensure hand washing is part of a regular routine throughout the day. Support pupils to wash their hands and develop independence in this skill.
Ensure hand washing is part of a regular routine throughout the day. Pupils should develop independence in this skill.
Talk about dirty and clean hands and clothes to avoid being ill or smell. Pick an activity such as painting and then encourage pupils to wash their hand free of paint.
Use sensory stories and dolls to model personal hygiene routine.
Pupils should be able to identify when to wash their hands. Ensure hand washing is part of a regular routine throughout the day.
Talk about dirty and clean hands and how germs can’t always be seen. Discuss that germs can make you ill. Do a demonstration of how easy germs can spread with glitter or paint and hand shaking. ask the pupils to wash their hands after to remove the pretend germs.
Talk about washing clothes regularly to avoid them smelling.
Use sensory stories and dolls to model personal hygiene.
Discuss the importance of vaccination and that some people could have allergies and food intolerances.
Use sensory stories and dolls to model the importance of personal hygiene routines (hair, hand, body and teeth).
Pupils should be able to identify when to wash their hands. Ensure hand washing is part of a regular routine throughout the day. Discuss that germs can make you ill. Do a demonstration of how easy germs can spread with glitter or paint and hand shaking. ask the pupils to wash their hands after to remove the pretend germs.
Talk about washing clothes regularly to avoid them smelling.
Discuss the importance of vaccination and that some people could have allergies and food intolerances.
Online and media:
their rights, responsibilities and opportunities online, including that the same expectations of behaviour apply in all contexts, including online.• about online risks, including that any material someone provides to another has the potential to be shared online and the difficulty of removing potentially compromising material placed online.
Internet safety and Harms:
Explore the similarities and differences between the online world and the physical world, including: the impact of unhealthy or obsessive comparison with others online (including through setting unrealistic expectations for body image), how people may curate a specific image of their life online, over-reliance on online relationships including social media, the risks related to online gambling including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them and how to be a discerning consumer of information online.
Continue to offer exploration of technology and applications. – See Use of Technology tab in Independent Living LTP.
Allow pupils to use devices to support regulation and joy in living; accessing content like YouTube, TikTok, videos of themselves/ photos of themselves, facial recognition apps, increasing online exposure. Online safety should be modelled and content restricted.
Continue to allow opportunities to find information online and navigate hyperlinks and menus.
Support pupils to identify problems with connections/content, knowing when to ask for help.
Pupils will use devices to support regulation and joy in living; accessing content like YouTube, TikTok, videos of themselves/ photos of themselves, facial recognition apps, increasing online exposure. Online safety will be modelled and content will be restricted.
Use iVengers Special Agents to lead peer to peer sessions and refer pupils that are particularly susceptible to become a Special Agent so they can help guide their peers.
Recognise that people sometimes behave differently online, including by pretending to be someone they are not.
Learn that the same principles apply to online relationships as to face-to face relationships, including the importance of respect for others online including when we are anonymous.
Recognise the rules and principles for keeping safe online, how to recognise risks, harmful content and contact, and how to report them.
Develop pupil’s ability to critically consider their online friendships and sources of information including awareness of the risks associated with people they have never met.
Develop awareness of how information and data is shared and used online.
Recognise that people sometimes behave differently online, including by pretending to be someone they are not.
Learn that the same principles apply to online relationships as to face-to face relationships, including the importance of respect for others online including when we are anonymous.
Recognise the rules and principles for keeping safe online, how to recognise risks, harmful content and contact, and how to report them.
Develop pupil’s ability to critically consider their online friendships and sources of information including awareness of the risks associated with people they have never met.
Develop awareness of how information and data is shared and used online.
Support pupils to recognise that for most people the internet is an integral part of life and has many benefits.
Develop understanding about the benefits of rationing time spent online, the risks of excessive time spent on electronic devices and the impact of positive and negative content online on their own and others’ mental and physical wellbeing.
Use stories and role play so pupils can consider the effect of their online actions on others and know how to recognise and display respectful behaviour online and the importance of keeping personal information private.
Discuss why social media, some computer games and online gaming, for example, are age restricted.
Develop awareness that the internet can also be a negative place where online abuse, trolling, bullying and harassment can take place, which can have a negative impact on mental health.
Drugs, alcohol and tobacco: the facts about legal and illegal drugs and their associated risks, including the link between drug use, and the associated risks, including the link to serious mental health conditions.
Science: the effects of recreational drugs (including substance misuse) on behaviour, health and life processes.
Staff to support pupils to take medicine when needed.
Staff to support pupils to take medicine when needed.
Discuss the use of medicines and that they can come in different forms (tablets, liquid, inhalers, injections and creams)
Talk the dangers of taking medicine that are not yours, hazardous chemical, smoking/ vaping and drugs.
Discuss the use of medicines and that they can come in different forms (tablets, liquid, inhalers, injections and creams)
Talk about the fact of illegal drug and the consequences of drug misuse including links with metal health conditions.
Talk the dangers of taking medicine that are not yours, illegal drugs, hazardous chemical, smoking/ vaping and drugs.
Online and media: how information and data is generated, collected, shared and used online.
Work with family network to ensure they know how to restrict content and are aware of the risks online.
Work with family network to ensure they know how to restrict content and are aware of the risks online.
Support pupils to get help from a trusted adult before entering any details into a website.
Use iVengers Special Agents to lead peer to peer sessions and refer pupils that are particularly susceptible to become a Special Agent so they can help guide their peers.
Visit a variety of familiar websites and show them what ‘cookies’ are and give a simple explanation of what they are.
Reiterate what information is private and when it is safe to share it.
Show pupils using real devices, their own if appropriate, how they can reduce data sharing and privacy settings.
Use interactive sessions to show them cookies in action; visit a website and show students how cookies are used. Many websites now display cookie consent banners. Explain what happens when they click “accept” or “decline.”
Review app permissions: Have students go through the permissions settings on their smartphones. Discuss which apps have access to their location, contacts, or camera, and whether those permissions are necessary.
Data trackers in real time: Use online tools or browser extensions (like Ghostery or Privacy Badger) to demonstrate the number of trackers following them across websites in real-time. This will help them see how their data is shared.
Privacy settings: Show students how to adjust privacy settings on their social media accounts, browsers, and apps. Encourage them to review these settings regularly to control who can see their data.
Controlling cookies: Teach students how to manage and delete cookies from their browsers. Encourage them to use browser features that allow for blocking or limiting tracking cookies.
Be cautious with permissions: Teach students to only grant app permissions that are necessary for the app to function. For instance, a weather app may need location access, but a game might not need access to their contacts.
Log out and delete old accounts: Encourage students to log out of accounts when not in use and to delete old or unused accounts to reduce the amount of personal data that remains accessible online.
