Overview
The law affects every aspect of our lives, but children and young people rarely learn about it in the classroom. We want to empower teachers to start a conversation about the law in schools.
Running throughout February 2026, #TheBigLegalLesson provides the tools you need to confidently introduce the law into your classroom.
What’s in the resource packs?
The Big Legal Lesson is a starting point for pupils to develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to navigate an increasingly complex world. Pupils explore questions such as:
- What is the law and how does it affect my daily life?
- Who has the power to make and change the law? How do recent changes to the law affect me?
- What new laws would I like to see and how can I make my voice heard by those in power?
Each lesson pack gives you everything you need to teach the session in one place, including a full PowerPoint, a lesson plan, curriculum links and both printable and non‑print alternatives for every activity.
A Spark activity is a short, ready‑to‑use prompt designed to quickly get pupils thinking, talking, and exploring big ideas in an age‑appropriate way. Each Spark uses a simple picture and a small set of questions to “spark” curiosity, discussion, and reflection without the need for any specialist knowledge.
Share the good news!
Download our media pack to help you celebrate your involvement on your website and social media channels. It contains sample social media posts and graphics,
Send us your photos, ideas and feedback via social media @YoungCitizensUK using the hashtag #TheBigLegalLesson.
“I think it was a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of how the law affects young people in their day-to-day lives”
Teacher, The Big Legal Lesson
Looking for the primary school resources? Access the resource pack for ages 5-11 here.
More Assemblies resources
Inspirational People – Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole
This assembly is an introduction to the lives of Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole. You may like to run it in conjunction with the lesson ‘Inspirational People.’ To access…
The G7 (Assembly Pack)
During this assembly pupils explore the history and function of the G7 and are introduced to the sort of discussions held at the annual G7 Summit. They learn about the…
Preparing for the Future
In this assembly pupils consider the benefits of preparing for events in the future. To identify events we can prepare for and the helpful actions we can take in advance.…
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Law Makers (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students examine what the rule of law is and why we need it. They consider how and why laws are made in the UK and what the…
What is a Citizen?
In this lesson pupils will be encouraged to think of themselves as citizens with the potential to make a positive difference in society. The lesson opens with the traditional tale…
Protecting Local Habitats (KS1)
In this lesson pupils will learn the meaning of the word habitat and have an introduction to different habitats that can be found in the UK. Pupils will examine how…
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Housing Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students explore a range of different housing situations someone can find themselves in. They examine some of the common legal issues concerning housing including common landlord and…
What is Democracy?
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Law in Wales
Did you know that the age of criminal responsibility in Wales is ten? In Scotland it is 12. In...
Social Media and the Law (KS3) (SmartLaw Subscription)
Students explore the law in relation to social media posts, the types of offences that people are committing (whether knowingly or not) and the consequences of committing these offences. The…
You Decide! (KS3)
This resource will allow students to critically consider what reasons and ways the government can take to support different...
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Mock Trials Classroom Pack
The Mock Trial Competitions are our longest-running active citizenship experiences. Since 1991, we have provided unparalleled exposure to the...
Climate Action: Using the Law to Drive Change
In 2021, COP26 was hosted in Glasgow. It was seen as a pivotal moment in tackling the global climate...
Tackling Discrimination (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson asks students to explore whether or not we have a moral or legal obligation to tackle discrimination when we see it. It can be delivered as a stand-alone…
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
Controversial issues: guidance for schools
Children are alert to information and images they see in the media. These may graphically influence their view of the world, and not always positively. Graphic images on TV and…
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
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...