Overview
During this lessons pupils will look at the history of the Magna Carta and consider how it has helped shape the laws we have today.
Pupils consider what ‘fairness’ and ‘justice’ mean by taking on the role of head teacher at a new school, deciding what rules the school should have. The lesson concludes with pupils exploring what is meant by the following clause from the Magna Carta, ‘no free man shall be imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions … except by the lawful judgement of his peers’ and how this is put into practice in today’s justice system.
You might like to run this lesson as a precursor to the lesson ‘Why do we have rules?’ which looks at how laws are made in the UK in more detail.
More Lessons resources
The Power of Giving
In this lesson pupils will read a tale from Japanese folklore which tells of how one small act of generosity leads to big gains. They will think about whether generous…
Democracy Ambassadors
What was Democracy Ambassadors? Between April 2018 and March 2019 Young Citizens worked with youth leaders to recruit 1,000 Democracy Ambassadors. The programme aimed to give young people a better…
What is a Political Party?
This resource pack is the fourth of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the concept of democracy. Each pack can be delivered independently of each…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Magna Carta
During this lessons pupils will look at the history of the Magna Carta and consider how it has helped shape the laws we have today. Pupils consider what ‘fairness’…
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the concept of democracy. Each pack can be delivered independently of each…
Why Do We Pay Taxes? (Part 1)
Pupils will learn that public services are largely funded through the payment of taxes to the government. To access this content, register for our Primary School Subscription.
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Sentencing Myths (SmartLaw Subscription)
This short activity challenges young people’s perceptions of current sentencing guidelines. It can be run as a standalone activity or as an extension activity as part of a mock trial…
Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition 2026/27: Preparation Resources (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
List of Preparation Resources School Guide – These guides contains all of the information to support the lead teacher and support teachers in preparing for the competition. Logistics Workshop Resources…
More KS2 (ages 7-11) resources
Climate Change
Learners explore what climate change is and what is causing it. They consider who is responsible for climate change: individuals, politicians, businesses? They are then challenged to think of a…
What is a Charity?
Pupils learn about the reasons why charities are created. They will be introduced to the main features of a charity and have the opportunity to research the work of a…
Home Learning Pack
This home-learning pack has been designed to support SMSC, Citizenship and PSHE learning within a home environment. All the activities described have been taken from Go-Givers resources and adapted to…