CITIZENSHIP - HOME PAGE
Holocaust Education Teachers' Survey
Did you know that the Institute of Education, University of London is currently undertaking a research project regarding Holocaust Education in England?
The aim of the research is to find out the views of secondary teachers on teaching about the holocaust. They want to build on good existing practice and the opinions of teachers in the development of a high quality Holocaust Education programme which will then be provided free of charge to teachers in all secondary schools in England.
They are collecting data through a teacher's survey.
If you have a few moments please do fill in the on-line survey and have your say in influencing the development of this project.
Musical Migration from Music For Change
A brand new educational resource for teachers at Key Stages 2 & 3, focusing on the lives and experiences of three historical figures, who were born in, have lived in or passed through Kent. More......
Sign up for FREE CPD Birkbeck training - Introduction to Education for Democratic Citizenship
The Citizenship Foundation is pleased to announce that the DCSF is extending the availability of FREE CPD training suitable for both secondary and primary teachers in citizenship teaching for the next three years.
The next course is from October 2008 to April 2009. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 16 September 2008.
For further details and who to contact click here.
Citizenship in the roll-out of the new secondary curriculum (September 2008 onwards)
As part of her work as Curriculum Adviser for RE and Citizenship with the Advisory Service Kent (ASK) Pamela Draycott is one on the Regional Subject Advisers (RSAs) for Citizenship working with CfBT and the Association of Citizenhsip Teaching (ACT) to support teachers/schools with the Citizenship aspect of the roll-out of the new secondary curriculum from September 2008. Her contact details and those of the other RSAs can be found on the Regional pages of the ACT Website. Follow the link to clear summary of some of the implications for Citizenship in the new secondary curriculum.
A summary of the legal position: 
Citizenship became a statutory national curriculum ‘subject’ in 2002 for pupils in secondary schools (Key Stages 3 and 4) based on a programme of study that allows flexibility in the breadth and depth of coverage and in the way in which the area is organised within school.
It is non-statutory in primary schools based on a framework which it ‘shares’ with PSHE.
The High Court has now decided that it is lawful for schools to use “An Inconvenient Truth” and the other parts of the climate change pack in accordance with amended guidance available below.
Notes to teachers on the guidance say: "An Inconvenient Truth is a film that has had a big impact. Its aim is to make the science and the arguments about global warming and climate change and its effects accessible to all audiences. It also presents a powerful case in favour of one particular type of political response to climate change.
"However, in parts of the film, Gore presents evidence and arguments which do not accord with mainstream scientific opinion. This guidance points out, on a scene by scene basis, the areas where further input will be required from teaching staff. This guidance is designed to help teaching staff encourage their pupils to assess the validity and credibility of different information sources and explore different points of view so as to form their own opinions."
This revised guidance replaces the original version. Teachers should read the revised guidance prior to using the pack and the film with their pupils. A hard copy of the revised guidance will be sent to secondary schools by the DCSF.
This is non-statutory but seen as a necessary contributor to the personal and academic entitlement of students and guidance is available, from the DCSF and others about how to address Citizenship is this phase of education.
The report of the Advisory Group on Education f or Citizenship and the Teaching of Democracy in Schools identifies three inter-related components that should run through all education for Citizenship.
- Social and moral responsibility:
Pupils learning - from the very beginning - self-confidence and socially and morally responsible behaviour both in and beyond the classroom, towards those in authority and towards each other. - Community involvement:
Pupils learning about becoming helpfully involved in the life and concerns of their neighbourhood and communities, including learning through community involvement and service to the community. - Political literacy:
Pupils learning about the institutions, problems and practices of our democracy and how to make themselves effective in the life of the nation, locally, regionally and nationally through skills and values as well as knowledge - a concept wider than political knowledge alone.
Schools need to keep their provision and the pupils’ response to such provision under review. A self-evaluation toolkit has been developed by DCSF in collaboration with ACT ( Association for Citizenship Teaching), NCSL (National College for School Leadership) and QCA. Not only will the use of this help you to see where your school is currently with regard to its Citizenship provision (and the response of pupils to it), but by identifying areas for development, it will assist in the construction of an action plan for the future.
See National Curriculum on-line: Citizenship and National Curriculum in Action
Citizenship in the Primary School
The non-statutory PSHE and Citizenship framework provides a basis to help schools promote high standards in these important areas of pupils’ personal and academic development. The two areas share much in common but also have some distinctive emphases. Both can be effective ‘vehicles’ through which the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development opportunities provided for pupils can be enhanced.
Within the Advisory Service Kent, Allan Foster is Lead Curriculum Adviser and has responsibility for PSHE (in both primary and secondary phases). He and Pamela Draycott work closely together to provide support in these areas.
Visit the PSHE and Citizenship primary curriculum pages. (link to follow)
Citizenship in the Secondary School
Key Stages 3 and 4
Schools have the flexibility to decide how they will provide Citizenship across Key Stages 3 and 4, based on the programme of study which provide an entitlement for pupils to have opportunities to develop:
- knowledge and understanding about becoming an informed citizen;
- skills of enquiry and communication; and
- skills of participation and responsible action.
Some possible options:
- discrete ‘Citizenship’ lessons with some links with and delivery of ‘Citizenship’ within other curriculum areas and extra-curricular activities and out of school opportunities as appropriate;
- ‘Citizenship’ delivered through certain ‘lead’ subjects of the curriculum (such as PSHE, RE, English and/or History for example) with other subject areas acting as ‘carrier’ subjects as appropriate;
- a ‘mixture’ of ‘Citizenship’ being taught discretely, alongside Citizenship elements identified and delivered through other subjects and through Citizenship conference days with links to extra-curricular and out of school opportunities also.
14-19
The Personal Development Curriculum
The aim of the national curriculum is to promote high standards in both academic and personal development. Bearing this in mind guidance has been issued for the 14-19 age-range on identifying and co-ordinating the personal development curriculum to which Citizenship makes a vital contribution.
Schools need to consider whether or not to follow a GCSE short course for pupils. The examination boards (e.g. ACA, Edexcel, OCR) have all developed such courses based on the Key Stage 4 progamme of study for Citizenship.