Children and younger people today are growing up in a complicated world where technological, political, social and environmental alteration is affecting us all. Numerous young people are concerned about the years ahead and find it difficult to navigate through the many forms of details they access. Some feel excluded and query whether our political system and democratic values are working for them and their communities and some are being drawn towards extremism.
Citizenship is a area of study that teaches children and younger people about how democracy, politics and law work in practice and develops appreciation of how society has developed and is changing. Citizenship assists young people make sense of the world around them by offering them the concepts and awareness to think critically about challenging political and social matters and space to explore difficult and sensitive topics. The subject develops understanding, critical literacy and practical abilities to think, query, explore and debate, to speak out on issues of concern and take action with others to address problems and contribute positively to democratic life.
Citizenship has been a element of the National Curriculum in England since 2002 and was retained by the government in the recent review of 2014. Yet since 2010 there has been a decline in the provision for Citizenship and quality of teaching in too numerous schools. There has been some ambiguity about the function and status of Citizenship and this together with pressure to focus on a narrow, academic core of subjects that excluded Citizenship has led to some schools dropping the area of study altogether.
Every child deserves high quality, well taught Citizenship as a guaranteed element of a broad and balanced curriculum that properly prepares them for the challenges and chances of life and work.
With this in mind the Expert Area of study Advisory Group for Citizenship and a range of citizenship bodies have come together to call on the DFE to support A National Action Plan for Citizenship – ‘Citizenship for all’ with five key objectives to strengthen the subject:
- A Curriculum Guarantee for Citizenship in every primary and secondary school and evident progression to additional Citizenship education post 16 to support the National Curriculum for Citizenship
- Make Citizenship a priority area of study in educator training with bursaries
- Establish Beacons of Excellence in Citizenship linking University Politics departments and schools teaching citizenship
- Benchmarking best practice to highlight effective Citizenship education with a special subject survey by Ofsted
- Stimulate the production of high quality teaching materials to meet gaps and support high quality teaching.
The Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening MP has received a copy of the National Plan which can be read in full here. For further guidance, see the relevant UK information.
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