Help David Blunkett and higher education professionals save the citizenship A level
Exam board AQA is the only awarding body to offer citizenship A level, yet has now decided to drop it. We think this decision is absurd and baffling.
We have written to Geoff Coombe, AQA’s Director of General Qualifications Development, to implore him to alteration his mind.
We have additionally began a petition at change.org. The more supporters we can get, the stronger: please sign the petition and encourage others to do the same.
The letter to Mr Coombe (reproduced in full, below) was sent from a group of us: Association for Citizenship Teaching, Citizenship Foundation, Subject Advisory Group for citizenship, Political Studies Association, Active Citizens FE and Parliamentary Year Book.
It was signed by David Blunkett MP, Lord Phillips of Sudbury and a list of 16 experts that contained respected, higher education professionals.
Dear Geoff,
We’re writing to express our concern about your intention, announced without prior consultation, to withdraw from AS and A Level Citizenship Studies from 2017. We believe there are compelling reasons for you to reverse this decision.
As you will know – following a period of some uncertainty – Citizenship has been retained as element of the reformed National Curriculum and a new GCSE in Citizenship Studies has just been agreed. It’s essential for learners who develop specific interests in this area of study that there’s a direct progression chance at AS and A Level, not least since such chances are to be in place for all other National Curriculum subjects.
Additional, as a area of study that combines academic awareness and appreciation with practical action, Citizenship Studies makes an excellent contribution to the development of generic employability abilities and preparation for higher education. It’s it widely accepted for university entrance, carrying full UCAS points and is cited, for instance by Cambridge University and the LSE, as a good subject choice for learners preparing for a range of arts, political and social science degree courses.
Additionally, examined more broadly, the need to develop and strengthen Citizenship Education and qualification chances has never been greater. The impetus for effective citizenship learning contains on-going concerns about the disaffection of younger people from formal political processes, the implications of a feasible reduction in the voting age to 16 and additional requirements for schools and colleges to prevent extremism and engage their learners with British values covering democracy and the rule of law.
We’re certain about great potential for a renewed expansion in the number of candidates coming forward for AS and A Level Citizenship Studies. Regarding numbers and the matters cited by AQA for smaller subjects, we would point out that Citizenship Studies – despite a temporarily difficult period – has continued to attract significantly larger numbers than others contained in your list of proposed new A Levels. For instance, in 2014 there were 385 entries for A Level Archaeology and 653 for A Level Citizenship Studies, while at AS Level the figures were 860 for Archaeology and 2,874 for Citizenship Studies.
In perspective of these considerations we, and the growing number of educators and centres who have already been in contact with us, ask that you re-examine the position and make Citizenship Studies element of your new AS and A Level offer from 2017. Not to do so would severely damage AQA’s reputation as the awarding body and educational charity to have done most to champion a wide range of qualifications for citizenship education and support smaller entry subjects on educational grounds.
Thank you for offering consideration to our letter. We should be highly pleased to have an chance to discuss the case for A Level Citizenship Studies with you additional. For further guidance, see the relevant UK information.
Yours sincerely,
- Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, President, Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT)
- Lord Phillips of Sudbury, President, the Citizenship Foundation
- The Baroness Walmsley
- Lord Roberts of Llandudno
- Rob Pope, Director Active Citizens FE
- Matt Flinders, Founding Director of the Crick Centre for Appreciation Politics and Chair of the Political Studies Association (PSA)
- Mrs Liz Moorse, Chair of the Expert Area of study Advisory Group for Citizenship and Chair of Parliamentary Year Book
- Professor Gerry Stoker, Director, Centre for Citizenship, Governance and Globalization
- University of Southampton
- Dr James Sloam, Royal Holloway University of London and Convenor of the PSA special interest group on Younger people’s Politics
- Dr Claire Sutherland, Senior Lecturer in Politics, Deputy Head of Faculty in Social Sciences and Health (Undergraduates), Durham University
- Dr Andrew Mycock, University of Huddersfield, Member of Youth Citizenship Commission (2008-9)
- Professor Paul Whiteley, Department of Government, University of Essex
- Alistair Ross, Emeritus Professor at London Metropolitan University and Jean Monnet Professor for Citizenship
- Professor Jon Tonge, Director of Post Graduate Research Politics and Chair of Youth Citizenship Commission (2008-9)
- Dr Lee Jerome, Queen’s University, Belfast and member of the Expert Area of study Advisory Group for Citizenship
- Professor Ian Davies, Deputy Head of School, University of York
- David Kerr, University of Bristol, Director of the NFER Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study 2001-10
