Curriculum aims
Learning and undertaking activities in citizenship contribute to achievement
of the curriculum aims for all young people to become:
- successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
- confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling
lives
- responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
The importance of citizenship
Education for citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, understanding
and skills to play an effective role in public life. Citizenship encourages
them to take an interest in topical and controversial issues and to engage
in discussion and debate. Pupils learn about their rights and responsibilities,
duties and freedoms, laws and justice, and democratic institutions. They
learn to take part in decision-making and different forms of action and
how to play an active role in the life of their schools, neighbourhoods,
communities and wider society.
Citizenship encourages respect for different national, religious and ethnic
identities. It also equips pupils to be able to engage critically with and
explore diverse beliefs, cultures and identities and the values we share
as citizens in the UK. Pupils begin to understand how society has changed
and is changing in the UK, Europe and the wider world. Citizenship addresses
issues relating to social justice, human rights and global community, and
encourages pupils to challenge injustice, inequalities and discrimination.
It helps young people to develop their critical skills and to consider
a wide range of political, social, ethical and moral problems (IE3 explore
issues, events or problems from different perspectives) and explore
opinions other than their own (IE5 consider the influence of circumstances,
beliefs and feelings on decisions and events). They learn to evaluate
information (IE4 analyse and evaluate information, judging its relevance
and value), make informed judgements (IE6 support conclusions, using
reasoned argument and evidence) and reflect on the consequences of
their actions now and in the future. They can argue a case on behalf of
others as well as themselves and speak out on issues of concern.
Citizenship equips pupils with the knowledge and skills for effective and
democratic participation. It helps pupils to become informed, critical,
active citizens who have the confidence and conviction to work collaboratively,
take action and try to make a difference in their communities.
Key concepts
There are a number of key concepts that underpin the study of citizenship.
Pupils need to understand these concepts in order to deepen and broaden
their knowledge, skills and understanding.
Democracy and justice
- Actively participating in different kinds of decision-making and voting
in order to influence public life.
- Understanding that justice is fundamental to a democratic society and
laws and rules are applied to try to ensure everyone is treated fairly.
- Understanding that justice, diversity, toleration,
respect and freedom are valued by people with different beliefs, backgrounds
and traditions within a changing democratic society (IE5 consider the
influence of circumstances, beliefs and feelings on decisions and events).
- Understanding that government is held to account for its actions by
parliament and by citizens.
Rights and responsibilities
- Exploring political, legal and human rights and how these affect both
individuals and communities.
- Understanding that individuals and organisations have responsibilities
to ensure rights are supported and protected.
- Understanding that rights can compete, and conflict and hard decisions
are made to try to balance these.
Identities and diversity: Living together in the UK
- Appreciating that people living together in the UK have individual,
group and national identities, which can change over time and are informed
by a person's understanding of what it means to be a citizen.
- Understanding connections between the diverse national, regional, ethnic
and religious cultures and communities in the UK.
- Understanding connections between the UK and the rest of Europe and
the wider world.
- Exploring the different forces that bring about change in communities
over time.
Critical thinking
- Engaging with opinions, ideas, beliefs and
values (IE3 explore issues, events or problems from different perspectives
), and understanding and responding to the main issues.
- Challenging opinions, actions, assumptions or policies on grounds of
ethics, evidence or argument.
- Developing own views, taking account of
a range of cultural, ethical and moral contexts and views other than their
own (IE5 consider the influence of circumstances, beliefs and feelings
on decisions and events).
Key processes
These are the essential skills and processes in citizenship that pupils
need to learn to make progress.
Critical thinking and enquiry
Pupils should be able to:
- reflect on different opinions, ideas, beliefs and values by
exploring topical and controversial issues and problems (IE3 explore issues,
events or problems from different perspectives)
- research, plan and undertake enquiries (
IE2 plan and carry out research, appreciating the consequences of decisions)
into topical and controversial issues and problems using a range of information
and sources
- analyse and evaluate sources used (IE4 analyse
and evaluate information, judging its relevance and value) , identifying
different values, ideas and viewpoints and recognising bias.
Taking informed and responsible action
Pupils should be able to:
- work individually and with others to identify
citizenship issues (IE1 identify questions to answer and problems to resolve)
within the school and wider community, and negotiate, plan and take action
to try to influence others, make change or resist unwanted change, using
time and resources appropriately
- analyse the impact of their actions on communities and the wider world,
now and in the future
- reflect on the progress they have made, evaluating what they have learnt,
what went well, the difficulties encountered and what they would do differently.
Advocacy and representation
Pupils should be able to:
- express and explain their own opinions to others through discussions,
formal debates and voting
- put together an argument showing consideration
of different viewpoints and drawing on what they have learnt through research,
action and debate (IE6 support conclusions, using reasoned arguments and
evidence)
- justify their point of view and the views of others, giving reasons
to try to persuade others to think again, change or support them.
Range and content
This section outlines the breadth of the subject on which teachers should
draw when teaching the key concepts and key processes. Citizenship focuses
on the political and social dimensions of living together in the UK and
recognises the influence of the historical context. Citizenship also helps
pupils make sense of the world today and equips them for the challenges
and changes facing communities in the future.
The study of citizenship should include:
- political, legal and human rights, and responsibilities of citizens
- the role of the law and the justice system and how they relate to young
people
- key features of parliamentary democracy and government in the four nations
of the UK, and at local level, including voting and elections
- freedom of speech and diversity of opinion, and the role of the media
in informing and influencing public opinion
- examples of how individual and collective actions can affect communities
and the environment
- strategies for handling local, national and international disagreements
and conflicts
- the needs of the local community and how these are met through public
services and the voluntary sector
- where public money comes from and who decides how it is spent
- how individuals, groups and organisations can influence decision-making
(locally, nationally and globally) through action
- the shared values and changing nature of UK society, including the diversity
of beliefs, cultures, identities and traditions
- reasons for migration to, from and within the UK and the impact of movement
and settlement on places and communities
- the UK's role and interconnections with the European Union and the rest
of Europe, the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the world as a global
community and the political, economic, environmental and social implications
of this.
Curriculum opportunities
During the key stage pupils should be offered the following opportunities
that are integral to their learning and enhance their engagement with the
concepts, processes and content of the subject.
The curriculum should provide opportunities for pupils to:
- debate, in groups and whole-class discussions, topical and controversial
issues, including those of concern to young people
- develop citizenship knowledge and understanding while using and applying
citizenship skills
- work individually and in groups, taking on different roles and responsibilities
- participate in both school-based and community-based citizenship activities
- participate in different forms of individual and collective action,
including decision-making and campaigning
- work with a range of community partners, where possible
- take into account legal, moral, economic,
environmental, historical and social dimensions of different political
problems and issues (IE3 explore issues, events or problems from different
perspectives)
- take into account a range of contexts, such
as school, local, regional, national, European, international and global,
as they are relevant to different topics (IE5 consider the influence of
circumstances, beliefs and feelings on decisions and events)
- use and interpret a range of sources of
information from the media and ICT (IE4 analyse and evaluate information,
judging its relevance and value)
- make links between citizenship and work in other subjects and areas
of the curriculum.