Teaching safeguarding to sixth form students is important to ensure their safety and wellbeing. It can help to equip them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to recognise and respond to signs of abuse and neglect. Teaching safeguarding also gives them the opportunity to learn about the roles and responsibilities of professionals in safeguarding situations, and how to access support and assistance.

1. Group Discussions: You can use group discussions to promote the importance of safeguarding within the sixth form. Group discussions can be structured in a way that encourages students to think critically by posing questions and considering different perspectives. This approach can be used to explore the topics of data protection, online safety and cyberbullying, as well as the importance of reporting any concerns they may have. Research suggests that group discussions can be an effective way to encourage students to reflect on safeguarding issues (Hendricks et al., 2018).

2. Interactive Lectures: You can use interactive lectures to teach safeguarding topics to your A-level students. Interactive lectures allow students to actively participate in the learning process, enabling them to explore various scenarios and consider the implications of certain behaviours. This approach can be used to discuss topics such as responsible social media use, identifying and reporting signs of abuse, and understanding the role of safeguarding professionals. Research indicates that interactive lectures can be an effective way to engage students in learning (Davison and Murphy, 2019).

3. Online Resources: You can use online resources to supplement the teaching of safeguarding topics. Online resources can provide students with additional information and activities that can help them to understand the importance of safeguarding. For example, you could use online quizzes and videos to explore topics such as online abuse and child protection. Research suggests that online resources can be an effective way to enhance student understanding (Nguyen et al., 2020).

4. Role-Play: You can use role-play to help students understand the importance of safeguarding. Role-play activities can be used to explore various scenarios and understand the implications of different behaviours. This approach can be used to discuss topics such as cyberbullying, data protection and reporting concerns. Research suggests that role-play activities can be an effective way to engage students in the learning process (Cummings and O’Connor, 2018).

5. Peer Mentoring: You can use peer mentoring to promote the importance of safeguarding within the sixth form. Peer mentoring can be used to encourage students to discuss their concerns and better understand the issues they are facing. This approach can be used to explore topics such as online safety, responsible social media use and understanding the role of safeguarding professionals. Research indicates that peer mentoring can be an effective way to engage students in learning (Farrell et al., 2019).

Reference List

Cummings, J., & O’Connor, M. (2018). Role-play as a teaching method in social work education: a review of the literature. Social Work Education, 37(8), 947-957.

Davison, L., & Murphy, P. (2019). Interactive lectures: an effective teaching strategy. Nursing Standard, 34(2), 35-40.

Farrell, P., Crowe, M., Murphy, S., & O’Leary, D. (2019). Peer mentoring: A potential support mechanism for transition to university. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 8(2), 85-103.

Hendricks, M., Magee, J., & Maritz, M. (2018). Enhancing students’ critical thinking skills through group discussion. South African Journal of Education, 38(1), 1-7.

Nguyen, A., Ross, L., & Nguyen, K. (2020). Use of online resources in teaching and learning: a systematic review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(3), 1021-1044.