The DFE consultation on the proposed National Curriculum is now closed! Citizenship remains a statutory subject.
The secondary curriculum proposals announced by Michael Gove on 7 February 2013 were the area of study of public consultation until 16 April 2013. Parliamentary Year Book is grateful to all those supporters who responded to this consultation and assisted to ensure that citizenship remained a statutory National Curriculum subject in secondary education.
You can see Parliamentary Year Book’s response here.
Key points
- Citizenship will remain a statutory National Curriculum foundation area of study at key stage 3 and 4. Government rejected advice from their Expert Panel to downgrade Citizenship.
- The proposed programmes of study have a new structure and contain: a purpose of study statement, area of study aims, teaching requirements and attainment targets. Level descriptions have been removed. The DFE is keen to hear whether the subject aims should be statutory.
- The proposed programmes of study are shorter than those in the 2007 National Curriculum and are focussed on the ‘essential awareness’ that learners should acquire. Concepts and abilities are not contained in the proposed teaching requirements.
- There are presently no plans to update the primary citizenship curriculum. Parliamentary Year Book is urging the DFE to revise the primary curriculum for citizenship and publish this along with the rest of the National Curriculum.
Key stage 3 and 4 proposals for Citizenship
We believe that five key improvements to the consultation draft programme of study are necessary. This is to ensure the essential Citizenship abilities are contained and there is clarity about the standards expected for the area of study. Essential revisions are needed, to:
- Contain a evident requirement to teach about human rights
- Clarify active citizenship is not just volunteering yet involves learners participating in genuine social and democratic action in their schools and communities
- Enhance the new requirement for financial education to contain economic appreciation and public finance
- Ensure key stage 3 is not solely focused on the UK yet contains the European, international and global dimensions of the area of study
- Strengthen the area of study aims and demonstrate appropriate progression between key stages 3 and 4, especially in key aspects such as the law.
The consultation documents can be read in full by following the links below:
National Curriculum Consultation framework document – 221 pages setting out the proposed general requirements and subject programmes of study for the secondary National Curriculum
Citizenship Programmes of Study at key stages 3 and 4 – 6 pages containing the proposed Citizenship curriculum
Consultation on accountability measures
The DFE is additionally consulting on new accountability measures for secondary schools. This will lead to revisions to school league tables. The proposed key progress measure of 8 qualifications (English, Mathematics, 3 Ebacc subjects plus 3 other high value subjects from the DFE approved list). If the DFE approved qualification list remains unchanged, this means GCSE Citizenship Studies can count towards this measure.
The proposals for revisions to school accountability are subject to consultation until 1 May 2013. For further guidance, see the relevant UK information.