Primary School children (Key stage 2)

Education about drugs should start in Key Stage two and continue in Key Stages Three and Four. These children should understand the risks associated with drugs, alcohol and tobacco, and be given opportunities to develop attitudes and values to prevent the use of substances. This should form part of a wider PSHE curriculum which addresses physical and emotional wellbeing. Activities for this age group may include worksheets, drawing/labelling and “story” based case studies about staying safe. Children affected by parental substance use should also be identified and supported appropriately.

Resources

The programme’s resources, which teach pupils about the risks of alcohol, are available to download for free via the Drinkaware for Education website.

Specially designed to support upper key stage 2 and key stage 3 teachers when introducing and developing alcohol awareness with their pupils, the resources from Drinkaware for Education include lesson plans, videos, presentations, homework assignments and teachers’ guides.

Students are encouraged to work in teams, as well as take part in whole class activities which develop essential skills such as risk-awareness, managing peer pressure and communication, through lessons covering:

• The law on alcohol
• Health and social harms associated with drinking alcohol underage
• The effect alcohol can have on emotional health and wellbeing
• The relationship between peer pressure and underage drinking

Visit the Drinkaware for Education website to register for these free resources