The National Curriculum for PSHE aims to ensure that all pupils are equipped with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions.

Nursery

Explain what they should do if they feel unsafe;

Recognise potential dangers and how to stay safe, inside and outside;

Learn the importance of keeping safe around medicines and unknown products.

Reception

Talk about how to keep their bodies healthy and safe;

Name ways to stay safe around medicines;

Know how to stay safe in their home, classroom and outside;

Know age-appropriate ways to stay safe online;

Name adults in their lives and those in their community who keep them safe.

Year 1

Recognise the importance of sleep in maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle; 

Identify simple bedtime routines that promote healthy sleep;

Recognise emotions and physical feelings associated with feeling unsafe; 

Identify people who can help them when they feel unsafe.

Understand and learn the PANTS rules; 

Name and know which parts should be private; 

Explain the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touch; 

Understand that they have the right to say “no” to unwanted touch; 

Start thinking about who they trust and who they can ask for help; 

Understand that medicines can sometimes make people feel better when they’re ill; 

Explain simple issues of safety and responsibility about medicines and their use;

Recognise the range of feelings that are associated with loss.

Year 2

Understand that medicines can sometimes make people feel better when they’re ill; 

Give examples of some of the things that a person can do to feel better without use of medicines, if they are unwell;

Explain simple issues of safety and responsibility about medicines and their use;

Identify situations in which they would feel safe or unsafe; 

Suggest actions for dealing with unsafe situations including who they could ask for help;

Recognise that body language and facial expression can give clues as to how comfortable and safe someone feels in a situation; 

Identify the types of touch they like and do not like; 

Identify who they can talk to if someone touches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable;

Recognise that some touches are not fun and can hurt or be upsetting;

Know that they can ask someone to stop touching them;

Identify who they can talk to if someone touches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable;

Identify safe secrets (including surprises) and unsafe secrets; 

Recognise the importance of telling someone they trust about a secret which makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. 

Year 3

Identify situations which are safe or unsafe; 

Identify people who can help if a situation is unsafe; 

Suggest strategies for keeping safe;

Define the words danger and risk and explain the difference between the two; 

Demonstrate strategies for dealing with a risky situation;

Identify risk factors in given situations;

Suggest ways of reducing or managing those risks;

Evaluate the validity of statements relating to online safety; 

Recognise potential risks associated with browsing online; 

Give examples of strategies for safe browsing online;

Understand that medicines are drugs and suggest ways that they can be helpful or harmful;

Identify some key risks from and effects of cigarettes and alcohol;  

Know that most people choose not to smoke cigarettes; (Social Norms message);

Define the word 'drug' and understand that nicotine and alcohol are both drugs.   

Year 4

Define the terms 'danger', 'risk' and 'hazard' and explain the difference between them;

Identify situations which are either dangerous, risky or hazardous; 

Suggest simple strategies for managing risk;

Define what is meant by the word 'dare'; 

Identify from given scenarios which are dares and which are not; 

Suggest strategies for managing dares;

Describe stages of identifying and managing risk; 

Suggest people they can ask for help in managing risk;

Understand that we can be influenced both positively and negatively;

Give examples of some of the consequences of behaving in an unacceptable, unhealthy or risky way;

Identify images that are safe/unsafe to share online; 

Know and explain strategies for safe online sharing;

Understand and explain the implications of sharing images online without consent;

Understand that medicines are drugs; 

Explain safety issues for medicine use; 

Suggest alternatives to taking a medicine when unwell; 

Suggest strategies for limiting the spread of infectious diseases (e.g., hand-washing routines).

Year 5

Demonstrate strategies to deal with both face-to-face and online bullying;

Demonstrate strategies and skills for supporting others who are bullied;

Recognise and describe the difference between online and face-to-face bullying;

Consider what information is safe/unsafe to share offline and online, and reflect on the consequences of not keeping personal information private;

Recognise that people aren’t always who they appear to be online and explain risks of being friends online with a person they have not met face-to-face;

Know how to protect personal information online;

Recognise disrespectful behaviour online and know how to respond to it;

Recognise which situations are risky;

Explore and share their views about decision making when faced with a risky situation;

Suggest what someone should do when faced with a risky situation;

Define what is meant by a dare; 

Explain why someone might give a dare; 

Suggest ways of standing up to someone who gives a dare;

Describe some of the health risks caused by vaping;

Understand that there are potential health risks of vaping that are not yet fully known;

Use critical thinking skills when reading information/media;

Understand that companies selling vaping products do so to make money;

Describe some of the possible outcomes of taking a risk;

Identify risk factors in a given situation (involving smoking) and consider outcomes of risk taking in this situation, including emotional risks;

Understand the actual norms around smoking/alcohol and the reasons for common misperceptions of these.

Year 6

Accept that responsible and respectful behaviour is necessary when interacting with others online and face-to-face;

Understand and describe the ease with which something posted online can spread;

Know that it is illegal to create and share sexual images of children under 18 years old;

Explore the risks of sharing photos and films of themselves with other people directly or online;

Know how to keep their information private online;

Define what is meant by addiction, demonstrating an understanding that addiction is a form of behaviour; 

Understand that all humans have basic emotional needs and explain some of the ways these needs can be met;

Explain how drugs can be categorised into different groups depending on their medical and legal context; 

Demonstrate an understanding that drugs can have both medical and non-medical uses; 

Explain in simple terms some of the laws that control drugs in this country;

Understand some of the basic laws in relation to drugs; 

Explain why there are laws relating to drugs in this country;

Understand the actual norms around drinking alcohol and the reasons for common misperceptions of these; 

Describe some of the effects and risks of drinking alcohol.