The Importance of Citizenship

Education for citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding 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, responsibilities, duties and freedoms and about laws, justice and democracy. They learn to take part in decision-making and different forms of action. They play an active role in the life of their schools, neighbourhoods, communities and wider society as active and global citizens.

Citizenship encourages respect for different national, religious and ethnic identities. It equips pupils to engage critically with and explore diverse ideas, 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, community cohesion and global interdependence, and encourages pupils to challenge injustice, inequalities and discrimination. It helps young people to develop their critical skills, consider a wide range of political, social, ethical and moral problems, and explore opinions and ideas other than their own. They evaluate information, make informed judgements and reflect on the consequences of their actions now and in the future. They learn to 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 needed 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 and the wider world.

How is it delivered?

At Fred Longworth High School we blend the taught curriculum into Humanities through History, Geography and Religious Studies.

What do we do?

Citizenship is taught through the different Humanities areas by speciality teachers.

    History

  • Year 7 – Government and Local Council
  • Year 8 – Ethnicity and Race
  • Year 9 – Political Debate and Elections

    Geography

  • Year 7 – The EU/UN
  • Year 8 – Hopes and Dream
  • Year 9 – National Parks

    Religious Studies

  • Year 7 – Shoes boxes and Charity
  • Year 8 – What makes a good Citizen?
  • Year 9 and 10 – Undertaking GCSE RE and Citizenship AQA specification

Geography contributes to citizenship by enabling pupils to:

  • understand how decisions are made about places and environments across a range of scales (local to global) and appreciate opportunities for their own involvement;
  • reflect on and discuss topical social, environmental, economic and political issues;
  • understand the diversity of cultures and identities in the UK and the wider world;
  • understand the issues and challenges of global interdependence;
  • reflect on the consequences of their own actions in situations concerning places and environments;
  • understand their rights and responsibilities to other people and the environment.

    History has a significant role to play in citizenship education, for example:

  • pupils learn how the past influences the present, what past societies were like, how these societies organised their politics, and what beliefs and cultures influenced people’s actions;
  • pupils see the diversity of human experience, and understand more about themselves as individuals and members of society;
  • what pupils learn can influence their decisions about personal choices, attitudes and values;
  • pupils develop skills that are prized in adult life, such as evaluating evidence and arguing for a point of view.

    RE contributes to citizenship by

  • providing opportunities for pupils to see how individual, group and political choices, policies and actions, eg human rights, are inextricably linked with and influenced by religious and moral beliefs, practices and values;
  • providing opportunities for pupils to understand and deal with local, national, European and global issues through knowledge and understanding of their religious dimensions and contexts;
  • enabling pupils to understand and exercise the meaning of personal, social and moral responsibility;
  • enabling pupils to see how human beings across the world treat each other and their environments and why they treat them as they do;
  • enabling pupils to develop active citizenship by involvement with voluntary religious and charitable activities.

How many hours per subject per year?

  • History – 6 hours
  • Geography – 6 hours
  • Religious Studies – 3 hours

 

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  1. How is it assessed?