Overview
During this lessons pupils will look at the history of the Magna Carta and consider how it has helped shape the laws we have today.
Pupils consider what ‘fairness’ and ‘justice’ mean by taking on the role of head teacher at a new school, deciding what rules the school should have. The lesson concludes with pupils exploring what is meant by the following clause from the Magna Carta, ‘no free man shall be imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions … except by the lawful judgement of his peers’ and how this is put into practice in today’s justice system.
You might like to run this lesson as a precursor to the lesson ‘Why do we have rules?’ which looks at how laws are made in the UK in more detail.
More Lessons resources
Conflicting Rights
In this lesson pupils will revisit their knowledge of human rights to consider situations in which people’s rights may appear in conflict with one another. Pupils will debate how they…
What is the Law?
Watch a read-aloud version of the book ‘What is the Law?’, in which a hedgehog called Snippet finds out about the law. The book has been separated into four chapters…
Tongue: The Power of Words
In this lesson pupils will read a tale adapted from Carib tradition which tells of how words can be used for good or bad. In discussion, pupils will consider the…
More Politics and Democracy resources
All at Sea: a story about fairness and the rule of law
During this lesson pupils use the story ‘All at Sea’ to explore how a group of citizens should organise a new society under a challenging set of circumstances. Each chapter…
Plastic Pollution (KS2)
Find out more about the impact of plastic on our oceans. Watch this introductory video and use our free resources. Explore the importance of the oceans and the impact…
Magna Carta
During this lessons pupils will look at the history of the Magna Carta and consider how it has helped shape the laws we have today. Pupils consider what ‘fairness’…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
The Big Legal Lesson (ages 11-18+)
Join the UK’s biggest legal education campaign during February 2026. To access this content, register for our Secondary School Subscription.
Keeping Safe At Home
In this lesson pupils will spot potential risks in the home. They will learn how they can help adults to keep them safe by reporting problems and keeping the home…
Biodiversity: Using the Law to Drive Change
During this lesson, students consider what biodiversity is, why it is essential to all life on Earth and what is causing its loss. They examine who has responsibility for minimising…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
How to Design a Questionnaire
A simple guide to the things you need to think about when designing surveys and questionnaires, from making sure the questions are easy to understand, to ensuring you ask the…