Year 1

PSHE – Understanding Families

This term, our pupils have been learning about families — what they are, who might be part of them, and how family members care for and support one another. The lesson helped children recognise that every family is unique and that love, care, and respect are what truly make a family.

Exploring What Makes a Family

To begin, children watched short videos introducing different kinds of families. These included examples of families with parents, grandparents, stepfamilies, adoptive families, and foster families.
After watching, pupils shared their thoughts and discussed what all families have in common — love, care, and support.

Creating Our Own Family Trees

Children then worked on their own family trees, learning how family members are connected across generations.
They enjoyed adding parents, grandparents, siblings, and even pets to their trees!
During discussions, pupils realised that families can take many forms — including stepfamilies, foster families, and adoptive families — and that all of them are equally special.

🗝️ Key message: Families can look different for everyone, but what matters most is that they care for and love each other.

Class Definition of Family

As a class, pupils worked together to create an inclusive definition of what a family is.
They came up with ideas such as:

“A family is a group of people who care for and look after each other.”
“A family can be made up of many different people — parents, grandparents, step-parents, carers, or friends.”

This activity helped children understand that there isn’t one “right” kind of family — all families are valid and important.

Reflection and Sharing

To finish, children reflected on the ways their own families show love and care.
They shared examples such as spending time together, helping each other, cooking meals, or giving hugs and kind words.

The lesson encouraged empathy and understanding, helping pupils see that while families may look different, the values of kindness, care, and respect are the same.

🗝️ Key message: Every family is unique — what makes a family special is the love and care shared between its members.

Year 2

PSHE – What Makes a Family?

This term, our pupils have been exploring the question “What makes a family?”
Through stories, discussions, and creative activities, they learned that families come in many different forms — and that love, care, and support are what truly make a family special.

Understanding What a Family Is

The lesson began with a whole-class mind map, where pupils shared what they already knew about families.
They discussed who might be in a family — such as parents, grandparents, siblings, stepfamilies, and even pets — and thought about how family members care for each other.
This helped pupils recognise that every family is different and that there’s no single “right” way for a family to look.

🗝️ Key message: Families can be made up of many different people, but what matters most is love and care.

Learning About Esma’s Family

Pupils were introduced to Esma’s family — including her dad, stepmum, sister, grandad, aunt, and cousins.
They used a family tree to see how family members are connected across generations, learning that some families live together while others live further apart.

During discussions, pupils talked about how Esma’s grandad shows love and care for her — such as helping with schoolwork or spending time together — and suggested their own ideas for how families can show affection and support.

Family Freeze Frames

Working in pairs, pupils created “freeze frames” (short, acted-out scenes) showing different ways family members care for one another.
These included helping with chores, reading stories, playing games, and giving hugs.
After sharing their ideas, the class reflected on how these actions make people feel — loved, safe, and happy.

🗝️ Key message: Families show love in lots of ways — through time, kindness, and care.

Showing We Care

To end the lesson, pupils thought about how they can show care for family members who live with them and those who live further away.
They shared ideas such as drawing pictures, helping around the house, writing letters, or phoning relatives to say hello.

This activity helped pupils see that small, thoughtful actions can make a big difference — and that family bonds stay strong no matter the distance.

🗝️ Key message: Whether near or far, families stay connected through love, care, and kindness.

 

Year 3

Year 3 – Understanding Families

This week in Year 3, our class has been exploring the topic of families. The children have been learning that families can look very different from one another, yet share common qualities that make them special.

What your child has been doing:

• Exploring different family types: Pupils discussed how families can vary in size, composition, culture, and the ways they spend time together.
• Family photos activity: Children worked in pairs to read descriptions of families and create their own ‘family photo’ drawings, labeling each member. Some pupils also challenged themselves by creating a new family structure.
• Spotting similarities and differences: Pupils compared their family drawings with others, identifying what makes families unique and what they have in common—like having adults, children, pets, or shared activities.
• Reflecting on learning: At the end of the lesson, children revisited their initial ideas about families and added new thoughts, helping them understand the diversity and similarities of family life.

Learning outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, pupils are able to:

• Recognise that families come in many forms.
• Identify both similarities and differences between families.
• Appreciate that every family is unique in how they live and spend time together.
• Express their understanding through drawing, discussion, and reflection.

This lesson helps children develop empathy and respect for diversity, while understanding the many ways families support and care for one another.

Year 4

Year 4 – Understanding Families and Supporting Each Other

In Year 4, our class has been exploring the importance of family and how families can support each other during challenges. Children have been learning to reflect on what makes family life special and how family members can help one another.

What your child has been doing:

• Prioritising family values: Through the Families Diamond 9 activity, pupils discussed what they think are the most important aspects of family life—such as caring for each other, spending time together, and listening to one another—and ranked these ideas in order of importance.
• Facing challenges together: Using a real-life scenario about a child named Meera facing a problem at her football club, pupils discussed strategies for supporting a family member and reflected on how families can help each other through difficult situations.
• Group discussions and reflections: Pupils shared their ideas with the class, compared their thoughts with others, and considered why family support is essential in solving problems.

Learning outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, pupils are able to:

• Recognise key aspects that make family life meaningful.
• Discuss how families provide support during challenges.
• Think critically and empathetically about problem-solving within a family context.
• Reflect on their own experiences of family support.

This lesson helps children appreciate the role of families in everyday life and fosters empathy, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

Year 5

Year 5 – Celebrating Families

In this lesson, Year 5 pupils explored the many different types of families, learning to appreciate both their differences and what they have in common. The focus was on understanding that all families are equal, valuable, and deserving of respect.

What your child has been doing:

• Exploring family diversity: Children shared their ideas about different kinds of families by drawing or writing about them, helping teachers understand their current knowledge and attitudes.
• Families Hunt: Working in small groups, pupils matched descriptions of families to images, learning to identify a variety of family structures.
• Give Me 5 activity: Pupils discussed and recorded five differences and five similarities between families. Differences included family size, composition, parent relationships, ethnicity, faith, and age. Similarities included love, care, living together, having children or pets, and being unique.
• Understanding what’s not visible: Children considered aspects of families that aren’t always obvious, such as faith, cultural traditions, or family dynamics.
• Recognising uniqueness: Pupils discussed real-life scenarios and reflected on how families might appear differently in books, media, and toys compared to everyday life.

Learning outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, pupils are able to:

• Identify a variety of family types and structures.
• Recognise what families have in common, such as love and care.
• Understand and value the diversity and uniqueness of every family.
• Think critically about how families are represented in media and real life.

This lesson supports children in developing respect, empathy, and appreciation for all kinds of families.

 

 

Year 6

Year 6 – Understanding Family Changes and Managing Conflict

In this lesson, Year 6 pupils explored how families can change over time, the emotions that come with these changes, and ways to manage conflicts that sometimes arise within family life.

What your child has been doing:

• Exploring family relationships: Pupils revisited the different types of families and identified all the relationships within a fictional family, Nish’s family, including siblings, parents, grandparents, step-parents, and extended family members.
• Hopes and worries about change: Using the example of a new baby joining Nish’s family, children reflected on what hopes and worries family members might have, and considered strategies to cope with changes positively.
• Family change scenarios: Pupils worked in groups to discuss other changes families might face, such as moving home or school, and explored feelings like excitement, nervousness, or worry. They considered ways to support each other during these times.
• Understanding conflict: Pupils read a scenario about Nish and his brother Anik arguing and discussed why conflicts happen, what feelings might be involved, and why occasional disagreements are normal.
• Managing conflict: Through sorting “Do’s and Don’ts” for resolving arguments, children learned practical strategies for handling disagreements calmly, listening, using kind words, and seeking help when needed.
• Reflection: Pupils summarized their learning using sentence starters, reflecting on family types, commonalities, differences, ways to manage change, and strategies to handle conflict.

Learning outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, pupils are able to:

• Identify and understand different family relationships.
• Recognize emotions and mixed feelings associated with family changes.
• Suggest strategies to cope with change in a positive way.
• Understand why conflicts happen and explore constructive ways to manage disagreements.
• Reflect on what makes families supportive, caring, and resilient.

This lesson helps children develop empathy, problem-solving skills, and resilience, while appreciating the important role families play in providing support and guidance.