Tower Hamlets School
Teaching about both Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is an important part of a school’s approach to safeguarding and child protection.
In liaison with Freedom Charity, the PSHE Association has produced separate accredited lesson plans, with teachers’ notes and accompanying resources, on Forced Marriage and FGM, highlighting the issues and covering the relevant statutory requirements.
Used in conjunction with Freedom’s helpful books, which clearly illustrate these topics in story form, the plans are designed to support all educators in delivering presentations and workshops to children across Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 in a sensitive and age-appropriate way.
The changing nature of relationships and family life means that it is important for
students to understand that they have the right to choose a partner and that there are
different types of committed relationships, with different rights, responsibilities and
legal status. The lesson plan and accompanying resources will help educators to:
explain what is meant by ‘forced marriage’ and how it differs from ‘arranged marriage’.
Identify the consequences of forced marriage and highlight the law on forced marriage
analyse how safely to access support for themselves or others who may be at risk, or have already been subject to a forced marriage.
Female Genital Mutilation is a problem with wide global reach and is becoming increasingly common in the UK. The topic will be particularly sensitive and personal for some students and must be approached with the greatest care, especially among younger children. The absolute requirement for sensitivity, confidentiality and reporting is explained in the Teacher’s Notes. The lesson plan and accompanying resources will help educators to:
explain what is meant by FGM and list the different types of FGM
explore the facts and challenge myths in relation to FGM and highlight the law in relation to FGM
help students to analyse how safely to access support for themselves or others who may be at risk, or have been subject to FGM
To date, Freedom Charity has worked with over 160 schools in the UK and has donated many thousands of copies of Aneeta Prem’s novels, “But It’s Not Fair”, and “Cut Flowers” to children, students, education professionals and libraries. Aneeta’s innovative and expert presentations, combined with the novels and PSHE Association lesson plans, provide students across all relevant Key Stages with the knowledge to engage with, and discuss, these complex human rights issues. Aneeta’s school visits and online presentations are highly acclaimed and acknowledged as being vital in changing attitudes and combatting the crimes of Dishonour Abuse (DiA), Forced Marriage and FGM. Many leading professionals, including Baroness Nicky Morgan (former MP and Secretary of State for Education) and Di Harrill MBE (Former Head of PSHE) have attended the school sessions and have thoroughly recommended them for use in all schools.
"As the head of an academy in Birmingham I can say these are excellent lesson plans very well put together and covers very difficult top of FGM and Forced Marriage are real issues for us at our school and the fact you able to cover them so well has made such a difference " - Brimingham
“Aneeta Prem author and lead of Freedom charity came to our college our students are 16+ they loved the books and 1000 students attended the assembly" - Manchester
"You have to teach FGM and Forced Marriage in schools so I would recommend using Freedom Charity to deliver these topics in a sensitive informative and empathetic way without traumatising and age-appropriate" - South London
"Universities need to understand these issues and it is important that Aneeta Prem came and spoke to our undergraduates about Forced Marriage and then on a separate occasion FGM outstanding presentations well delivered and in and professional" - University VC
"Safeguarding is an issue for everybody in schools colleges and universities Aneeta delivers to over 1500 students in a takeover day at a school incredibly professional outstanding learnt so much a few comments from staff and pupils"
"Freedom’s Aneeta Prem and the team came to our school and delivered teacher training on how to use the lessons and spot signs of forced marriage I- excellent" - Head teacher
could help us raise awareness in schools and prevent FGM
could provide a counselling session for a victim of abuse
could provide a new identity for a victim fleeing abuse
could provide support for a girl fleeing abuse for a month.
