Lesson Overview
| Duration | 60 minutes |
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| Key Stage | KS4 (Years 10-11) |
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| Subject Links | PSHE, Citizenship, Sociology, Law |
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| Resources Needed | Pupil handouts, Quiz, Presentation slides |
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Learning Objectives
- Understand the stages of online grooming and the tactics used
- Know the legal framework around online grooming and exploitation
- Recognise warning signs in their own online relationships and those of peers
- Understand that victims are never at fault
- Know how to report online grooming and access support
Key Information
- In 2024, the NCA recorded over 7,000 reports of online grooming of children in the UK
- The average age of victims of online grooming is 12-15
- Most grooming begins on mainstream social media platforms
- 90% of online sexual abuse against children is carried out by someone in the child's wider social network
- Only 1 in 8 victims of online sexual exploitation tell an adult
Legal Framework
- Sexual Offences Act 2003, Section 15: grooming — meeting a child following sexual grooming; maximum 10 years
- Sexual Offences Act 2003, Section 15A: sexual communication with a child; maximum 2 years
- Protection of Children Act 1978: taking, distributing, or possessing indecent images of children
- Serious Crime Act 2015: causing or inciting sexual exploitation of a child
- CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) Command: specialist police unit; reports at ceop.police.uk
- Section 45 Modern Slavery Act 2015: protection for child victims of exploitation who commit related offences
Lesson Plan
5 mins Starter
Anonymised case example: how did this start? At what point did it become a concern? When should someone have told an adult?
12 mins The Grooming Process
Step by step: targeting, trust building, boundary testing, isolation, normalisation, entrapment. How each stage works and what intervention looks like.
12 mins Legal Framework
The key offences. What the law says about victim protection. The Section 45 defence. Why victims are protected, not prosecuted.
10 mins Warning Signs and Peer Support
What does grooming look like in a friend's behaviour? What to say, how to raise a concern, when to tell an adult.
10 mins Reporting and Support
CEOP, Childline, the school DSL. What actually happens when you make a report. How investigations are handled sensitively.
6 mins Debrief and Q&A
Anonymous questions. Emphasise: it is always safe to ask for help.
⚠️ Safeguarding Considerations
- This session has very high disclosure potential — DSL should be informed before delivery
- If a pupil discloses current grooming, pause the session and refer immediately to DSL
- Do not ask for details of contact, request to see messages, or contact the suspected groomer
- Some pupils may be in the middle of a grooming process and not recognise it — be non-judgmental
- Ensure CEOP contact details are displayed throughout and given on a handout
If a pupil makes a disclosure during this session, follow your school's safeguarding procedures and refer to your DSL immediately.
Key Messages
- Grooming is a deliberate, staged process — knowing the stages makes it easier to recognise
- The law is clear: adults who groom children are committing serious criminal offences
- Victims are protected under law — they are never prosecuted for what happened to them
- Only 1 in 8 victims tell an adult — being that one person, or helping a friend to tell, saves lives
- CEOP reports go directly to specialist police — they take this seriously and act on it
Support Resources
| Organisation | Contact | Purpose |
|---|
| Childline | 0800 1111 | 24/7 support for young people |
| Crimestoppers | 0800 555 111 | 100% anonymous reporting |
| CEOP | ceop.police.uk | Report online exploitation |
| NSPCC | 0808 800 5000 | Child protection advice |
| Emergency | 999 | Immediate danger |