Citizenship

Why study Citizenship?

Pupils need to be prepared for life beyond school, to prepare them to play a full and active role in society. Citizenship is an ideal tool for exploring British values. It builds character and develops soft skills that employers require, such as communication, initiative, social interaction and teamwork.

Elements of Citizenship education appear in many subjects such as English, History and Maths as well as supporting learners’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Our Citizenship curriculum fosters pupils’ awareness and understanding of democracy, government and how laws are made and upheld. It gives them the knowledge to explore political and social issues, to weigh evidence, debate and make reasoned arguments.

Citizenship covers E-safety, Relationship and Sex Education and Physical Health and Mental Well-being. Within our Citizenship curriculum, we deliver Relationship, Sex, and Health education which teaches pupils to develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds. It supports them to make well-informed, positive choices for themselves and to understand how to judge when they, or someone they know, needs support and where they can seek help if they have concerns. In short, the curriculum prepares pupils to take their place in society as responsible citizens prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of later life.

How will I study Citizenship?

Pupils study Citizenship by exploring big questions. Examples include:

• What impact does our online world have on me?
• What is a healthy relationship?
• What are the rights and responsibilities I enjoy as a UK citizen?
• How do I contribute to my community?

In order to explore our enquiry questions, pupils first develop an understanding of key concepts and rules of law that underpin them. Through debate, discussion, documentaries, reading and exploring their own experiences, Citizenship develops important attributes in pupils, such as honesty, kindness, tolerance, courtesy, resilience, and self-efficacy.

What will I study at key stage 3?

In Year 7, pupils learn about E-safety, exploring how they can stay safe online. They explore what is age appropriate and the dangers that are present online. They delve into identity development, their body image and their self-esteem. Mental and emotional health topics are complemented by work on physical health. Pupils study values and beliefs and how to make moral decisions. Pupils study how a democratic government works; this includes how a political party comes to power and what contribution and influence they will have through using their democratic vote in the future.

In Year 8, pupils study the concept of being an active citizen. They explore different types of family and relationships within that family. Pupils study what healthy relationships look like including communication, boundaries and trust. They look at online safety in more depth including cyberbullying. Pupils explore their civil liberties, political freedoms and constitutional law. This includes the role of the police and the operation of courts. Pupils then also learn about voluntary groups who work in their community and have the opportunity to undertake a school- based pupil council election.

In Year 9, pupils study healthy relationships and strategies to secure emotional, physical and spiritual awareness. Pupils explore rights and responsibilities in more depth – including the role of our legal system. They further develop their understanding of the UK constitution and undertake an active citizenship project – advocating for selected pressure groups.

What will I study at key stage 4?

At Key stage 4, pupils study the AQA GCSE Citizenship course. GCSE Citizenship Studies has the power to motivate and enable young people to become thoughtful, active citizens. Pupils gain a deeper knowledge of democracy, government and law, and develop skills to create sustained and reasoned arguments, present various viewpoints and plan practical citizenship actions to benefit society.

Pupils also gain the ability to recognise bias, critically evaluate argument, weigh evidence and look for alternative interpretations and sources of evidence, all of which are essential skills valued by higher education and employers. Topics include furthering their understanding of Government by studying other systems and forms of government, both democratic and non-democratic, beyond the United Kingdom. This is followed by study of UK relations with the rest of the world such as United Nations Security Council, EU trade agreement, International Criminal Court. They develop their citizenship understanding by exploring basic human rights and international law. This covers how law helps society deal with complex problems. Pupils then study diversity in the UK exploring national, regional, religious, and ethnic identities.

Assessment at Key Stage 4

Citizenship Studies AQA 8100

Enrichment

Pupils have access to a wide range of leadership and civic activities to support and enhance their learning, including community service projects, magistrates mock trial competitions, charitable initiatives and campaigns and the opportunity to stand as a representative for their year group as part of the Pupil Council.

Careers

The study of Citizenship can lead to a range of future careers as it is embedded in all areas, examples being civil servants, public services, legal, political and medical professions.

Useful Resources and Revision Support

• Young Minds
• Talk to Frank
• The Anti-Bullying Alliance
• Think U Know
• Hodder Education citizenship
• Kerboodle
• AQA GCSE Citizenship