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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can describe how to say no respectfully.

      Key learning points

      1. Friends can sometimes ask us to do things that make us feel uncomfortable.
      2. It is ok to say no to friends if we feel uncomfortable.
      3. If we say no, we can do so with respect and kindness.
      4. It’s good to have healthy boundaries.
      5. Good friends will respect our boundaries and treat us with kindness when we say no.

      Keywords

      • Uncomfortable - feeling anxious, worried or unable to relax

      • Respect - treating others kindly and valuing their feelings, ideas and boundaries; for example, listening carefully and being polite, even if you disagree

      • Boundary - an imaginary line separating what we will and won't allow

      • Kindness - being nice, caring and thinking about how others feel

      Common misconception

      It is rude to say no.

      As long as we speak kindly, it is ok to say no to someone else. We might choose to explain the reasons for saying no, as it can help the other person to understand our reasons why, but we don't have to.

      Teacher tip

      You should speak to the lead on anti-bullying or pastoral support in your setting before delivering this lesson.

      Content guidance

      Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

      Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

      Supervision

      Adult supervision recommended

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Match the words with their definition.

      Correct Answer:lonely,sadness from feeling like you're alone or that you don't belong

      sadness from feeling like you're alone or that you don't belong

      Correct Answer:friend,someone who cares for you, helps you and makes you feel happy

      someone who cares for you, helps you and makes you feel happy

      Correct Answer:welcome,to happily invite someone in and make them feel comfortable

      to happily invite someone in and make them feel comfortable

      Correct Answer:disagreement,when two or more people have different ideas about something

      when two or more people have different ideas about something

      Q2.
      Which of the following statements are true?

      Correct answer: Friends can make us laugh.
      Friends don't care about us.
      Friends should look the same.
      Correct answer: Friends can have different cultures.

      Q3.
      Which is an example of being kind?

      Correct answer: looking after someone who has been hurt
      ignoring someone who is on their own in the playground
      laughing at someone who got the answer wrong in class
      Correct answer: helping someone who is finding classwork tricky

      Q4.
      To someone means inviting and welcoming them into a group or situation.

      Correct Answer: include

      Q5.
      Which of these is an example of a trusted adult?

      Correct answer: a teacher
      a friend in our class
      Correct answer: a parent or carer
      a younger sibling

      Q6.
      Which statement is false?

      Everyone at school is important.
      Correct answer: Only some people at school are important.
      Everyone should be made to feel welcomed.
      Feeling welcomed helps us to feel happy.

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Match the words with their definition.

      Correct Answer:uncomfortable,feeling anxious, worried or unable to relax

      feeling anxious, worried or unable to relax

      Correct Answer:boundary,an imaginary line separating what we will and won't allow

      an imaginary line separating what we will and won't allow

      Correct Answer:kindness,being nice, caring and thinking about how others feel

      being nice, caring and thinking about how others feel

      Q2.
      If we say 'no', we can do so with and kindness.

      Correct Answer: respect

      Q3.
      Which statements are true?

      Correct answer: It is okay to say 'no' to friends if we feel uncomfortable.
      It's rude to say 'no'.
      We always have to explain our reasons if we say 'no'.
      Correct answer: It’s good to have healthy boundaries.

      Q4.
      What do good friends do?

      Correct answer: respect our boundaries
      ignore our boundaries
      get angry with us when we say 'no'
      Correct answer: treat us kindly when we say 'no'

      Q5.
      Match the example to why the person would say 'no'.

      Correct Answer:unkind choice,"Let’s leave Alex out of a game!"

      "Let’s leave Alex out of a game!"

      Correct Answer:unsafe choice,"Let’s cross, the green person isn’t showing but it looks safe!"

      "Let’s cross, the green person isn’t showing but it looks safe!"

      Correct Answer:crossing a boundary,"Can you stay up an hour past bedtime to play a game with me?"

      "Can you stay up an hour past bedtime to play a game with me?"

      Q6.
      Which examples might a person say 'no' to?

      Correct answer: A friend tells you to say unkind jokes about another friend.
      Correct answer: A friend tells you to use a sharp knife but there is no trusted adult around.
      A friend asks you if you want a hug and you are ok with this person hugging us.
      A friend asks if you want to come to the park and your trusted adult says okay.

      To help you plan your 2 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Saying no kindly, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...