BBC Bitesize: People Around Us - Launching November 2026

BBC Bitesize: People Around Us is a new fun and engaging initiative for primary school teachers and their pupils aged 7 – 11, launching early November 2026.

It has been designed to support the delivery of the new statutory guidance of the PSHE and RSE curriculum that was introduced in England in September 2026.

Not all young people are equipped with the skills and information to evaluate what healthy, positive relationships are. This can leave them vulnerable to negative influences and unhealthy relationships in the future.

Bitesize: People Around Us will help pupils understand what healthy relationships look like and how to identify positive role models. It will encourage pupils to think critically about the people around them and provide them with the tools to reflect on their own thoughts, behaviours and actions.

Bitesize: People Around Us will include flexible resources which can be used within PSHE lessons, as conversation starters, or to refresh learning after a topical or in-school incident.

Meet M8-E and friends - Milo, Tanvi, Zayn, Joshua and Emma!

Thrown out of a robotics factory for wanting to make friends rather than complete boring tasks, M8-E is rescued by Milo and has started a new life at school. M8-E is keen to learn about human relationships and understand what being a role model means.

Everyone in the friendship group has something new to learn, including how to recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships, what it means to be a good friend, managing conflict and identifying traits of positive role models.

These films are designed to engage pupils within the classroom and show realistic situations they may encounter in their daily lives.

Each film will be accompanied by a teacher guide, which will include discussion-based and practical activities to get pupils thinking critically about the key themes of each film. Teachers will be able to embed these short activities into PSHE lessons or use them to add moments of reflection throughout the school day.

We know that classroom discussions about healthy relationships and positive role models can be daunting for some.

If you have concerns about navigating these subjects in the classroom, further guidance on teaching healthy relationships and positive role models will be available on the Teacher Guidance page. These resources will offer practical tips and strategies for creating a safe and supportive teaching and learning environment in which to discuss complex or sensitive issues.

Each of the resource videos will also be featured in a corresponding Bitesize Parenting article. These articles will feature expert-led guidance on navigating sensitive discussions with children, including how to establish and maintain positive relationships and encourage positive role model behaviour.

With complementary themes and language to the classroom resources, parents, guardians and carers will be able to use the expert guidance to continue these important conversations at home. Teachers could also share these articles with parents after using the resources, so they can support their children with any questions that the in-class discussions may bring up.

To be the first to know when Bitesize: People Around Us launches in early November and keep up-to-date with new content launches throughout the year sign up to the Bitesize for Teachers email.