Worry & Overthinking KS2 PSHE Guide

Free 7-page PSHE / wellbeing pack on worry and overthinking for ages 8-12 (upper KS2 and early KS3): teacher notes, 8 discussion questions, a 30-minute lesson plan, 4 practical tools and 2 pupil worksheets.

A few small clues - tears, long sleeves, one overheard word - and a child builds a terrifying certainty. This pack turns the story of Lena, who becomes convinced her mother is dying, into a ready-to-teach wellbeing session on worry: how catastrophising works, why strong fear can produce real headaches and stomach aches, and how to put a scary thought on trial with the question ‘fact or guess?’ Written for PSHE, RSHE and wellbeing time, guided reading, and one-to-one ELSA or SENCO sessions.

What’s inside (7 printable A4 pages)

• Teacher notes: story summary, learning objectives, curriculum links and the psychology of the worry loop
• 8 discussion questions for circle time, guided reading or a wellbeing lesson
• A 30-minute lesson plan
• 4 practical tools with ‘try saying’ scripts for teachers, TAs and parents
• 3 activities: the Court of Thoughts (with role cards), an eight-step drama activity and a retelling task
• 2 pupil worksheets pitched at ages 8-12: “Fact or Guess?” and “The Four Questions Card”

How to use it

You do not need the book to run this session: page 2 summarises the story and the questions stand on their own. The story touches on serious illness in the family - check your class list first, and let any child who has a poorly relative know they can step out or talk to you afterwards. Print pages 6 and 7 for pupils; everything else is for the adult. The tools on page 4 are written so they can be sent home to parents as well.

Curriculum links

PSHE Association Programme of Study, KS2 Health and Wellbeing - Mental health (H17: feelings change and vary in intensity; H18: everyday things that affect feelings; H19: vocabulary for feelings; H20: strategies to respond to feelings; H21: recognising warning signs about mental health and how to seek support; H23: change and loss, including illness and bereavement; H24: problem-solving strategies for emotions, challenges and change). DfE statutory Health Education, Mental wellbeing: recognising and talking about emotions; simple self-care techniques. Also supports English reading comprehension (inference - the whole story is about evidence).

About the story

The Hospital Secret is Book 3 of the Lena series by Kidsbooks - ten short, illustrated chapter books written for ages 8-12 and read comfortably up to Year 8, each about one feeling: procrastination, anger, worry, perfectionism, boredom and screen time, gratitude, feeling left out, online safety and self-worth. Every book has a Parent & Educator Guide bound into the back, with discussion questions, puzzles, activities and an original song, and is mapped to the PSHE Association Programme of Study. The stories are secular and every page is open to parents. Discussion guides for the other books in the series are in thi