Online money safety — staying safe with money on the internet
A classroom-ready 45 minutes lesson plan with starter, main, plenary, differentiation, SEND adaptations, EAL support and assessment criteria. Free to use, no login.
Key Stage
KS2
Year group
Year 6
Age range
10–11
Duration
45 minutes
Subject
Maths / PSHE
Cost
Free
Learning aim
Pupils can identify three common online money scams (fake emails, fake adverts, pressure tactics) and explain what to do if they see one.
CURRICULUM National Curriculum links
PSHE Association KS2 L22: about the importance of asking for help; to identify whom to go to and where to find information about staying safe
Computing KS2: use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact
PSHE Association KS2 L25: about the role of money in our lives, including online
RESOURCES What you'll need
Examples of (fake but realistic) scam emails, adverts, and pop-ups on slides
"Spot the scam" worksheet with 6 examples
Class display poster: "What to do if you see a scam"
Show a fake "Congratulations! You've won a £500 voucher! Click here now!" pop-up on the board. Ask: "Is this real?" Take answers. Most pupils know it's fake. Now ask: "How did you know?" Collect their reasoning on the board.
5–15 min TEACH
Define a scam: "someone trying to trick you out of money or information." Introduce the three warning signs to look for: (1) Too good to be true (free £500, instant prize, easy money); (2) Urgent pressure (act now! only 5 minutes left! limited offer!); (3) Asks for personal information (your password, bank details, address). Show 3 example scams on slides, naming the warning signs in each.
15–30 min GUIDED
Pairs work through 6 examples on the worksheet. Some are real (legitimate things like school payment requests), some are scams (fake prize emails, suspicious links). For each, pupils circle warning signs and write "SCAM" or "REAL". After: share answers as a class, building a discussion about why each one is or isn't a scam.
30–40 min CHALLENGE
Show a trickier scenario: "An email arrives that looks like it's from a real shop you've used. It says your account has a problem and asks you to click a link to fix it. The shop's logo is in the email. Is it real?" Discuss: this is "phishing" — scams that copy real companies. Best advice: never click links in emails — go directly to the shop's real website.
40–45 min PLENARY
Build the "What to do" poster together. Rules: (1) Stop and think before clicking; (2) Tell a grown-up if anything looks odd; (3) Never give your password, bank details, or address to anyone you don't know. Final question: "What's the safest thing to do if you're not sure?" (Tell an adult.)
DIFFERENTIATION Adapting for all learners
Support (working below ARE)
Use 4 examples instead of 6. Pre-mark which are scams; pupils explain WHY rather than identifying scam vs real.
Stretch (working above ARE)
Pupils design their own "spot the scam" poster for the school corridor, including all three warning signs and at least one example.
SEND SEND adaptations
For pupils with autism: provide a clear written rule "any email asking for password = SCAM" rather than situational judgement. For pupils with EAL: use visual examples with minimal text.
EAL EAL support
Vocabulary: "scam", "phishing", "trick", "warning signs", "urgent", "suspicious". Sentence stem: "This is a scam because ___."
ASSESSMENT Assessment criteria
Pupils can: (1) name three warning signs of an online scam; (2) identify a scam in a given example; (3) explain what to do if they see one. Exit ticket: "If I get an email that says ___, I will ___."
HOME Homework
With a grown-up, find one example online of a scam-looking pop-up, email, or advert. Talk together about what makes it look fake.
SAFEGUARDING Classroom safeguarding
Note for teachers: Do not ask pupils to share specific scams they've received or that family members have been victims of. Frame everything through general examples. If a pupil discloses being a victim of a scam, take it seriously and report to the safeguarding lead.