PSHE Lesson Plans: Drugs and Substance Misuse/ Breaking Confidentiality
Teacher
Group
Date
KS3
Lesson Seeking help for self and others
Subject Drugs and substance misuse
Background information
Need
No of
pupils
Sub-group information
Additional Needs/Issues to consider/Data
SEN Behaviour
SEN Learning
SEN –
Statements
LAC
G&T
EAL
Prior
Learning
Prior Learning/Context for Learning
How this lesson fits within the context of the SOW / overall programme of study
Pupil
Context
Intervention/differentiation/comment on progress
e.g. Bob
Parent known to drink to
excess
Be sensitive to language; emphasise support and positive messages about recovery
PSHE Lesson Plans: Drugs and Substance Misuse/ Breaking Confidentiality
Topic Context
Topic Title
Drugs and substance misuse
Any barriers to learning in the previous
lesson:
Lesson
Drugs Education: Seeking help for self and others
Title
How I am going to address these this lesson:
Lesson Plan
Differentiated Learning Objectives:
Pupils will:



KNOW who to go to for help for and advice concerning alcohol issues
CAN encourage a friend to seek help and if necessary tell someone on their behalf
UNDERSTAND the best way to help a friend and when to break principles of confidentiality
All pupils can name one trusted adult they can confide in and know how to access key professionals who may be able to help.
Most understand why it may be necessary to break confidentiality and refer a friend’s problem on.
Some pupils will be able to effectively use the ‘dos and don’ts’ to support others, and refer on when necessary.
Timing:
Activity
Differentiation
Sign post for Progress
(To maximise quality of learning and progress)
Reference to target
groups
(FSM/LAC/SEN/G&T)
(When is progress going to
be assessed and how.
What alternative activities
are planned if pupils do not
understand)
PSHE Lesson Plans: Drugs and Substance Misuse/ Breaking Confidentiality
Starter
10 mins
Ground rules – recap and agree
Explain that the group should not share personal information and refer to
the school’s confidentiality policy.
Display PowerPoint picture of young person with dilemma and have
recording chart on table (Print off recording chart from PowerPoint and
enlarge to A3).
Working in groups pupils discuss and record:
1. Who do young people seek help and advice from?’
2. What are the advantages of this person?
3. What are the disadvantages of this person?
Each group reports on advantages and disadvantages until all people
young people seek support from have been covered. (Usually ‘friends’ is
a very popular answer)
Discuss why ‘telling friends’ is a popular choice? Why do young people
sometimes choose to go to a friend rather than a professional? Which is
the best choice? Does it depend? If s,o on what?
Main
Ask pupils what the lesson objectives could be then share explicit
objectives and record briefly on board. Discuss what success criteria
would look like.
In groups ask pupils to list Dos and DON’Ts of how to be a good friend
when your friend has a problem.
15 mins
Possible Dos
 Listen
 Encourage to get help
 Don’t judge them
 Encourage them to be positive
 Go with them to talk to someone
 Encourage them to make their own decisions
Possible Don’ts
In the Introductory Lesson
pupils assessed their
knowledge, skills and
attitudes on a 1-10 SelfAssessment scale. You
may want to revisit this so
that pupils can record
progress. In addition pupils
could note down key
learning on their Learning
Record which was shared
with pupils in the
Introductory Lesson.
PSHE Lesson Plans: Drugs and Substance Misuse/ Breaking Confidentiality







Minimise the problem
Keep it a secret if it could harm them
Gossip about them
Put them down
Tease them
Turn your back on them
Tell your friend what to do - it must be their decision (unless it’s
about directing them to seek help)
Compile class lists on the board as groups report back.
Explain the reason you are talking about this is that friends are in a
very important position to help – they are often the first person, a
person in trouble will talk to.
20 mins
Give each group a scenario card (Print from the PowerPoint). Ask the
groups to imagine their friend’s problem involved alcohol. Display
questions on PowerPoint:
 Why might your friend be involved with this?
 What are the benefits and problems of the drug for them?
 How can you support them?
 Can you support them alone? Who else could help?
 At which point did their behaviour cross a line for you?
Take feedback from 3 groups. When might they need to break their
friend’s confidentiality and refer the problem on? (i.e. if keeping the
information secret could be detrimental to the person) Would they tell
their friend they were going to do this? Why? Why not? If they did how
could they phrase it?
Also mention that it may be a young person’s carer/parent who has the
alcohol problem. If possible show website Alateen which can offer
support.
5 mins
Consult the group and compile a list of professionals who may be a
PSHE Lesson Plans: Drugs and Substance Misuse/ Breaking Confidentiality
source of help. Ask the pupils in pairs to think of a trusted adult they
could confide in. Check all pupils can name one adult. (Do you have a
Peer Mentoring scheme which some pupils may be interested in
joining?)
Ask class to take another look at the Dos and Don’ts list on the board
and ask if there is anything else they might wish to add to either list (they
might want to add: Do tell the person that there is no problem that is so
awful that you can’t talk to someone about it; do offer hope that they can
feel better in the future; do go with your friend to seek help from
someone who can help).
In a round pupils complete the following stem sentence:
Plenary
One thing I can do to help a friend who has a drug or alcohol problem is
10 mins ……
or say one thing this lesson has made them think about.
Finally, review objectives and ask pupils to record key points in their
Learning Record. In addition you may wish pupils to revisit their SelfAssessment Scales.
Set homework.
Learning Record
Self-Assessment Scales
Homework/Independent Learning:
Notice examples from TV programmes/books where confidentiality should have been broken. Practice the ‘dos’ of good listening and support
when your friend or family member has a problem.
Research a websites and report back 5 things they have learned about the sources of help and information provided. Suggested websites:
www.al-anonuk.org.uk/alateen
http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
http://www.talktofrank.com/drug/alcohol
PSHE Lesson Plans: Drugs and Substance Misuse/ Breaking Confidentiality
http://www.thecoolspot.gov/
http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/
Opportunities in this lesson to develop:
Social, Moral, Group work skills, personal opinions, empathetic response, lessons in life, moral dilemmas and hypothetical questions
Cultural and
spiritual
Literacy
Debating action and when line has been crossed
Numeracy
Reading
Other Skills Critical thinking
acquired