Year 8 · RSHE (PSHE) · beta

Risky substances: What do I need to know about alcohol?

This unit examines the laws around alcohol, its physical and mental health effects, and strategies for staying safe. Pupils learn about legal restrictions, understand the risks of alcohol consumption, and develop skills to make informed, safe decisions.

This is an attributed Oak National Academy lesson sequence, not a completed or academically approved DASKEREL course. Supporting transcripts may depend on video, images, practical equipment or teacher explanation. Follow each lesson’s supervision guidance. For religious education and RSHE, follow the school’s syllabus, policy and safeguarding procedures.

Prior knowledge

  • Pupils should understand from Year 7 that alcohol is a substance that affects the body and brain, and that it is illegal for people under 18 to buy or be sold alcohol in England.
  • Pupils should be familiar with peer pressure and refusal skills from previous units, recognising that making independent choices about risky substances is important for health and safety.
  • Pupils should know from earlier learning about the importance of making informed decisions for wellbeing, and understand that asking for help or advice when unsure is responsible behaviour.

Source curriculum references

  • How the use of alcohol and drugs can lead people to take risks in their sexual behaviour.
  • That the co-occurrence of alcohol/drug use and poor mental health is common.
  • That mental health problems can increase the risk of alcohol/drug use, and alcohol/drug use can trigger mental health problems or exacerbate existing ones.
  • The impacts of alcohol on diet and unhealthy weight gain.
  • The physical and psychological risks associated with alcohol consumption.
  • What constitutes low risk alcohol consumption in adulthood, and the legal age of sale for alcohol in England.
  • Understanding how to increase personal safety while drinking alcohol, including how to decrease the risks of having a drink spiked or of poisoning from potentially fatal substances such as methanol.
  • The physical and psychological consequences of problem-use of alcohol, including alcohol dependency.

Oak source metadata. DASKEREL has not independently verified school-level coverage.

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