Lesson Plans for Bedroom Shut Music Up
Scheme of WorkBedroom Shut, Music Up – Education Track 1
Unit overview
Age range: 13–18Length: 4 lessons (about 60 minutes each)Core themes: exclusion, belonging, neurodiversity, trauma, resilience, self-teaching
Unit aims
● Explore real stories of young people who struggled in school.
● Reflect on how labels, behaviour and unmet needs affect education.
● Recognise that education is not always a straight line.
● Consider ways schools can support different learners.
● Express their own views through writing, discussion and creative work.
Key resources
● Booklet sections on the Education track: overview, key messages and key words.
● Reflective question sheets.
● “All About You” introduction and prompt sheets.
● Audio of the Education track.
● Making A Way Through Education - Long Version
● Making A Way Through Education - Short Version
● Paper / exercise books, coloured pens, sticky notes.
● Optional: devices for voice notes or digital art.
Safeguarding
● Share a clear disclaimer at the start about topics such as bullying, racism, exclusion, feeling unsafe and mental health.
● Remind students they can pass on any question, take a break, or speak to a trusted adult.
● Follow school safeguarding procedures if a student discloses harm or risk.
Lesson 1 – Stories of education
Focus: First encounter with the stories and key ideas.
Learning outcomes
● Describe what happens in the stories.
● Give first thoughts on how exclusion and labels feel for the young people.
Lesson outline
Starter:
● Write “Education is not always a straight line” on the board.
● Students do a quick write: “What do you think this means?” and share a few ideas.
Introduce the project:
● Show the booklet cover or slides and explain these are real accounts of people who found school hard.
Listen to the track:
● Play the Education track once with no questions.
● Students note down words or lines that stand out and any feelings that come up.
Read the text summary:
● Read the text or summary together.
● Highlight ideas about being called “naughty”, exclusion and hidden needs such as ADHD or dyslexia.
Pair talk:
● Prompt: “What surprised you most about their stories?”
Exit ticket:
● Students write one sentence: “One thing I want adults in school to understand is…”
Assessment
● Teacher listens in to pair talk to check understanding and emotional responses.
● Exit tickets show first understanding and any strong reactions.
Lesson 2 – Language and feelings
Focus: Vocabulary and emotional impact on the young people.
Learning outcomes
● Explain key terms in their own words.
● Connect key words to feelings and real examples from the recording.
Lesson outline
Starter:
● On the board, write key words such as “belonging, exclusion, neurodiversity, trauma, accessing safety, resilience, self-teaching”.
● Students sort them into “I know”, “I am not sure”, “I do not know”.
Key word task:
● In small groups, students write simple definitions and an example from the stories for each key word.
Short re-listen:
● Play one or two key sections of the track where these ideas show up.
● Pause and ask: “Which key word fits this moment and why?”
Feelings map:
● Students choose one character or moment and create a feelings map:
● What others see; what the character feels; what the character needs.
Plenary:
● Whole class discussion: “Which word feels most important in this project and why?”
Assessment
● Completed key word notes.
● Feelings maps that link concepts to the lived experience in the stories.
Lesson 3 – Reflective questions
Focus: Guided reflection on the impact of exclusion, home life and support.
Learning outcomes
● Relate the stories to real situations in school and at home.
● Suggest how adults could respond better to young people in similar situations.
Lesson outline
Starter:
● Quick recap quiz using questions such as:
● “What happened when schools refused to take some of them back?”
● “Why might someone use violence as a way of ‘accessing safety’?”
Question carousel:
● Set up four stations with different reflection questions (for example: exclusion and future; home and community; hidden needs and “I’m stupid”; safety, bullying and resilience).
● Small groups rotate, writing short answers or key words on large paper at each station.
Whole-class share:
● At each station, one student explains their group’s main points.
● Teacher records common themes on the board.
Mini writing task:
● Prompt: “What one change in school would have helped these young people most?”
● Students write a short paragraph explaining their choice.
Optional extension:
● Students add a second paragraph about different routes back into learning when education is not a straight line.
Assessment
● Quality of station notes and mini paragraphs.
● Teacher notes on students who may need follow-up support.
Lesson 4 – All About You and creative response
Focus: Personal reflection and creative expression.
Learning outcomes
● Reflect on their own experience of school and learning.
● Produce a creative piece that shows understanding of the themes.
Lesson outline
Starter:
● Introduce the “All About You” idea: this part is about their own story, at their own pace.
● Remind students they choose what to share and can write from a character’s view if they prefer.
Individual reflection:
● Students choose 2–3 reflection prompts such as:
● “Which person’s story felt most familiar to you and why?”
● “Have you ever been seen as the ‘naughty’ one when you were actually confused, stressed or hurting?”
● “What subjects or tasks make you feel like ‘I’m stupid’?”
Creative task choice:
● Students choose one creative outcome, for example:
● Diary entry from a day a character was excluded;
● Spoken piece or rap about feeling misunderstood;
● Poster: “You are not stupid – different ways people learn”;
● Two-side drawing: how teachers see me / how I see myself.
Sharing options:
● Students can share in small groups if they wish, or hand work in privately.
Closing circle:
● Each student shares one word or short phrase about what they are taking away from the unit.
Assessment
● Creative piece and reflection sheets that show depth of understanding.
● Teacher notes on student voice about school and support needs.
Possible follow-up
● Students design a short message or resource for staff about how to support neurodiverse and excluded students.
● Link to PSHE, pastoral work or pupil voice projects in the setting.
● Use student ideas to inform school practices around behaviour and support.
Comments