Curriculum: Citizenship - Sir Jonathan North Community College

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Citizenship

Members of Staff and Roles/Responsibilities
Subject Overview
KS3 Structure
KS3 Content
KS4 Structure
KS4 Content
Additional Information

Members of Staff and Roles/Responsibilities

Mrs J Duce

Head of RS and Citizenship

Citizenship Overview

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 as well as 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, neighborhoods, 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 continues to change 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.

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KS3 Structure

At the start of the autumn term in year 7, students are taught in mixed ability tutor group classes. Towards the end of the first half-term students will take a formal assessment. The result will determine in which Set they will be placed for all the Humanities subjects. Students will be taught in their new Set from the October half-term onwards.
This continues in years 8 and 9.

Assessment is by formal tests and assessment tasks at the end of each unit.

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KS3 Content

Me and My Community

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.

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KS4 Structure

In KS4 students will have the opportunity to follow a GCSE short course in Religious Education which fulfils the requirements of the National Curriculum in Citizenship too.

Those students following the GCSE full-course in Religious Studies will complete a GCSE short course in Citizenship Studies. To complete this course students will complete a Citizenship activity (40% of the final marks) and an exam (60% of the final marks).

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