Citizenship
Subject teachers: Mrs A Muja
GCSE Exam Board: Edexel
We do not have to engage in grand heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world".
-Howard Zinn ( Historian and philosopher)
Curriculum Intent
GCSE Citizenship aims to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of democracy & government, the law, rights & responsibilities, and how we live together in society. Throughout the course, students are equipped with the skills to think critically, evaluate evidence, debate ideas, make persuasive argument and justify their conclusions.
As part of the GCSE Citizenship course, students complete a ‘taking citizenship action’ project. This enables students to develop their understanding of how to be responsible citizens in society and how to play a positive role in public and democratic life as informed and active citizens.
The course is divided into different themes, these include: Living together in the UK, democracy at work in the UK, Law and Justice, power and influence, and, taking citizenship action.
Following the Edexcel exam board we study 5 themes:
- Living together in the UK
- Democracy at work in the UK
- Law and Justice
- Power and Influence
- Taking Citizenship action
Topics Covered include:
Parliament, Law-making, UK Constitution, role of Government, importance of voting, voting systems, Justice system, criminal and civil law, power of the media, identity, culture and immigration, human rights, consumer rights, political rights in the UK and abroad, employment rights, pressure groups, the UK’s role in the world, the role of international organisations, UN/EU/Commonwealth/NATO/WTO, free and fair trade, peace-keeping and making, planning and taking action to address an issue.
Curriculum Implementation
Students have five lessons across a fortnight. Each lesson focuses on a key question linked to the relevant theme for the term. At the start of each lesson, pupils start by answering three retrieval questions to help pupils with knowledge recall. Lessons incorporate class discussions/debates and GCSE style exam practice questions. This helps pupils to build their confidence in how to answer exam style questions. Each lesson ends with a key takeaway linked to the learning intention, allowing pupils establish the connection to previous learning.
Citizenship lessons at are brought to life by using real issues and events in local, national and global contexts. We give students the time and space to explore controversial issues where often there is not an objectively right or wrong answer. Ultimately this process allows students to think independently, to judge available evidence, respectfully debate and develop considered and reasoned opinions.
To further support student’s learning, homework is set on a regularly, weekly basis on Seneca learning. This involves completing a quiz based on the learning they have completed in the lesson followed by a short GCSE style exam practice. This supports students to consolidate their learning and knowledge.
Texbooks and Revison Resources
Textbooks
Citizenship Today (Jenny Wales, Collins Publisher)
Revisions resources
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Citizenship Studies revision guide and workbook.
All students are encouraged to keep up to date with the local and national news through television news programmes like Newsround, Channel 4 News, BBC and ITV bulletins.
Reading quality national newspaper (eg The Times, Telegraph, Independent, Guardian) is recommended. We also recommend keeping up to date with local news via the Farnborough news & mail newspaper, Surrey live news wesbite and various local social media feeds.
Being aware of topical local, national and international news and issues improves general knowledge and can only boost pupils’ ability to discuss issues in depth, ask critical questions, and examine different viewpoints on current local, national and international events.
All the above have content online, and pupils are encouraged to research different websites to gain a range of viewpoints and ideas.