Healthy relationships: a toolkit to support primary-aged pupils

Friendships and mental wellbeing

Friendships play an important role in a child’s development. They offer connection, build confidence and help support emotional wellbeing. But disagreements and conflict can happen in any relationship, and without the tools to manage these moments, pupils may find themselves feeling overwhelmed or isolated.

Let’s talk about healthy relationships: friendships and conflict

This four-part lesson toolkit, assembly, teacher guidance, and parent/carer guidance supports primary-aged pupils to develop the skills and understanding they need to build healthy friendships and manage conflict in ways that support their mental wellbeing. 

Pupils will explore key topics including empathy, emotional regulation and the difference between disagreement and conflict. They will also learn how to identify and use constructive conflict resolution strategies, both offline and online.

The toolkit offers cross-curricular activities using drama, comprehension and discussion, with a strong emphasis on student voice and collaborative learning.

By taking part in this lesson toolkit, pupils will:

• understand how healthy friendships support wellbeing

• recognise the difference between disagreement and conflict

• explore the impact of digital communication on peer relationships

• learn practical ways to resolve conflict safely and respectfully

• reflect on their experiences and know when and how to ask for help.

The guidance for education staff and parents and carers should be used alongside the teaching resources, to ensure that the learning at school is embedded and supported with a consistent understanding, approach and language by the key adults around the child. 

This toolkit contains:

Lesson materials

• Lesson plan and overview

• Presentation slides 

• Additional activities and supporting materials

Assembly materials

• Assembly plan and overview

• Presentation slides 

Guidance materials

• Education staff guidance

• Curriculum guidance

• Parent and carer guidance

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