The importance of citizenship
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.
1. 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.
1.1 Democracy and justice
Participating actively in different kinds of decision-making and voting in order to influence public life.
Weighing up what is fair and unfair in different situations, understanding that justice is fundamental to a democratic society and exploring the role of law in maintaining order and resolving conflict.
Considering how democracy, justice, diversity, toleration, respect and freedom are valued by people with different beliefs, backgrounds and traditions within a changing democratic society.
Understanding and exploring the roles of citizens and parliament in holding government and those in power to account.
1.2 Rights and responsibilities
Exploring different kinds of rights and obligations and how these affect both individuals and communities.
Understanding that individuals, organisations and governments have responsibilities to ensure that rights are balanced, supported and protected.
Investigating ways in which rights can compete and conflict, and understanding that hard decisions have to be made to try to balance these.
1.3 Identities and diversity: living together in the UK
Appreciating that identities are complex, can change over time and are informed by different understandings of what it means to be a citizen in the UK.
Exploring the diverse national, regional, ethnic and religious cultures, groups and communities in the UK and the connections between them.
Considering the interconnections between the UK and the rest of Europe and the wider world.
Exploring community cohesion and the different forces that bring about change in communities over time.
2. Key processes
These are the essential skills and processes in citizenship that pupils needto learn to make progress.
2.1 Critical thinking and enquiry
Pupils should be able to:
engage with and reflect on different ideas, opinions, beliefs and values when exploring topical and controversial issues and problems
research, plan and undertake enquiries into issues and problems using a range of information and sources
analyse and evaluate sources used, questioning different values, ideas and viewpoints and recognising bias.
2.2 Advocacy and representation
Pupils should be able to:
express and explain their own opinions to others through discussions, formal debates and voting
communicate an argument, taking account of different viewpoints and drawing on what they have learnt through research, action and debate
justify their argument, giving reasons to try to persuade others to think again, change or support them
represent the views of others, with which they may or may not agree.
2.3 Taking informed and responsible action
Pupils should be able to:
explore creative approaches to taking action on problems and issues to achieve intended purposes
work individually and with others to negotiate, plan and take action on citizenship issues to try to influence others, bring about 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.
3. 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 roles of the law and the justice system and how they relate to young people
key features of parliamentary democracy and government in the constituent parts of the UK and at local level, including voting and elections
freedom of speech and diversity of views, and the role of the media in informing and influencing public opinion and holding those in power to account
actions that individuals, groups and organisations can take to influence decisions affecting communities and the environment
strategies for handling local and national disagreements and conflicts
the needs of the local community and how these are met through public services and the voluntary sector
how economic decisions are made, including where public money comes from and who decides how it is spent
the changing nature of UK society, including the diversity of ideas, beliefs, cultures, identities, traditions, perspectives and values that are shared
migration to, from and within the UK and the reasons for this
the UK’s relations with the European Union and the rest of Europe, the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the world as a global community.
4. 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
take into account a range of contexts, such as school, local, regional, national, European, international and global, as relevant to different topics
use and interpret different media and ICT both as sources of information and as a means of communicating ideas
make links between citizenship and work in other subjects and areas of the curriculum.