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Year 7

What does fairness mean in society?

I can explain what fairness means and how we can fight for a fairer society.

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New
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Year 7

What does fairness mean in society?

I can explain what fairness means and how we can fight for a fairer society.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Two different ideas of fairness are treating people the same or treating people differently according to their needs.
  2. Fairness involves a process to decide what is and isn't fair considering if everyone can achieve the same outcomes.
  3. There are different organisations who fight for fairness including the NSPCC and UNICEF.

Keywords

  • Fairness - the quality of treating people equally, or in a way that is right or reasonable

  • Equal opportunities - allowing all people access to the same opportunities, regardless of their disability, religion, age, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation

  • Society - people living together in an ordered community

  • Campaigning - actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim

Common misconception

Fairness always means treating everybody the same.

Fairness may involve treating people differently based on their individual circumstances in order to achieve equitable outcomes.

Use other fairness organisations that may be more appropriate for your area.
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Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following statements are true?
Correct answer: Laws are the same for everyone, all the time.
Correct answer: Laws are made by parliament and enforced by the police.
Laws are guidelines that might differ for different people.
Q2.
What word is missing from the following sentence: Rules and laws are there to protect us, to keep the and to make sure everyone is treated fairly.
Correct Answer: peace
Q3.
Match the name of each law to the correct description of the law.
Correct Answer:Food Safety Act 1990,food is labelled, advertised, and presented in a way that is not false

food is labelled, advertised, and presented in a way that is not false

Correct Answer:Noise Act 1996,noise between the hours of 11pm and 7am must be kept low

noise between the hours of 11pm and 7am must be kept low

Correct Answer:Car Seat Act 2006,children must use an approved car seat when travelling

children must use an approved car seat when travelling

Q4.
Complete this sentence with a single word: Without rules and laws, it would lead to an unstable ...
Correct Answer: society
Q5.
What was the purpose of Magna Carta?
Correct answer: To put in writing that the king was not above the law.
To get rid of all forms of taxation.
To ensure all disputes were settled through public debate.
To formalise the process for how the king was selected.
Q6.
What year was Magna Carta signed?
Correct answer: 1215
1423
1542
1110

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? The only way to be fair is to treat people exactly the same.
Correct Answer: False, No, Incorrect, Not true, F
Q2.
Choose the correct word to complete this sentence: Fairness is often a matter of ...
fact
Correct answer: opinion
Q3.
Match the word to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:fairness,treating people equally, or in a way that is right or reasonable

treating people equally, or in a way that is right or reasonable

Correct Answer:equal opportunities,allowing all people access to the same opportunities

allowing all people access to the same opportunities

Correct Answer:society,people living together in an ordered community

people living together in an ordered community

Correct Answer:campaign,actions organised by an individual or a group to achieve an aim

actions organised by an individual or a group to achieve an aim

Q4.
Name the organisation that fights for fairness for children in the UK and Channel Islands.
Correct Answer: NSPCC, the NSPCC
Q5.
Which of these are ways that UNICEF and the NSPCC fight for fairness?
Correct answer: They campaign to raise awareness of issues which affect children.
Correct answer: They work with local charities and groups.
Correct answer: They use their work to influence governments to make fair laws.
They run educational campaigns for adults in work settings.
They provide legal defence to other charities.
Q6.
When thinking about fairness, you need to ...
Correct answer: establish a process for what is fair and what is not.
Correct answer: consider whether everyone can achieve the same outcomes.
Correct answer: make proportional decisions based on people receiving their fair share.
treat everyone exactly the same.
prioritise the views of the majority of people over the minority of people.