Memorandum submitted by Department for
Education and Skills
1. INTRODUCTION
The 1997 Education White Paper, Excellence
in Schools, pledged to: "strengthen education for citizenship
and the teaching of democracy in schools". An Advisory Group
on Citizenship education chaired by Sir Bernard Crick education
was set up with the following terms of reference:
"To provide advice on effective education
for citizenship in schools—to include the nature and practices
of participation in democracy; the duties, responsibilities and
rights of individuals as citizens; and the value to individuals
and society of community activity."
Following the publication of the Advisory Group's
report (the Crick Report) "Education for Citizenship and
the Teaching of Democracy in Schools" in 1998, a Ministerial
working party was set up to ensure the smooth implementation of
the main proposal—to introduce a new National Curriculum
subject.
Citizenship became part of the Statutory National
Curriculum in secondary schools in August 2002. Non-statutory
guidelines for PSHE and Citizenship were introduced in primary
schools in September 2000.
Citizenship is now a part of the curriculum
in all maintained secondary schools in England. Some schools are
still developing the ways in which they deliver the subject, whereas
others are leading this work in innovative ways. For example there
are now 18 Humanities specialist schools which count Citizenship
as their second specialism. Citizenship is not a lead specialist
subject but can be combined with English and History or Geography
in a Humanities specialism.
The second "Crick Report"—Citizenship
for 16-19-year-olds in Education and Training (2000)—recommended
that an entitlement to the development of citizenship—of
which participation should be a significant component—should
be established which would apply to all students and trainees
in the first phase of post-compulsory education and training.
The Post-16 Active Citizenship Development Programme was established
in 2001 to investigate the feasibility of this recommendation.
Citizenship education is key to building a modern,
cohesive British society. Never has it been more important for
us to teach our young people about our shared values of fairness,
civic responsibility, respect for democracy and respect for ethnic
and cultural diversity. The aims of citizenship education are
complemented by the Respect Action Plan which was launched by
the Prime Minister earlier this year. As Bernard Crick stated:
"Citizenship is more than a subject. If
taught well and tailored to local needs, its skills and values
will enhance democratic life for all of us [...] beginning in
school and radiating out."
Sir Bernard Crick, National Curriculum Citizenship
1999.
2. THE CURRICULUM,
ASSESSMENT AND
QUALIFICATIONS
Citizenship education equips children and young
people with the knowledge, understanding and skills to play an
active part in society as informed and critical citizens who are
socially and morally responsible. It aims to give them the confidence
and conviction that they can act with others, have influence and
make a difference in their communities.
2.1 What is contained in the National Curriculum?
Building on the Crick recommendations, The Citizenship
Curriculum incorporates three inter-related themes as follows:
Social and Moral Responsibility: Learning self-confidence
and socially and morally responsible behaviour both in and beyond
the classroom, both towards those in authority and each other.
Community Involvement: Learning about and becoming
helpfully involved in the life and concerns of their communities,
including learning through community involvement and service.
Political Literacy: Learning about the institutions,
problems and practices of our democracy and how to make themselves
effective in the life of the nation, locally, regionally and nationally
through skills and values as well as knowledge.
A fourth theme of British Social and Cultural
History is currently being considered to build on work that schools
are currently doing on modern British history and the history
of our shared values as citizens.
At Key Stages 1 and 2, there is a non-statutory
framework for both Personal Social and Health Education and Citizenship.
The following section sets out what the National Curriculum covers
for citizenship education at each of the key stages.
Key Stage 1 (5-7-year-olds)
In Primary Schools, at KS1, pupils learn about
themselves as developing individuals and as members of their communities,
building on their own experiences. They learn the basic rules
and skills for keeping themselves healthy and safe and for behaving
well. They have opportunities to show they can take some responsibility
for themselves and their environment. They begin to learn about
their own and other people's feelings and become aware of the
views, needs and rights of other children and older people. As
members of a class and school community, they learn social skills
such as how to share, take turns, play, help others, resolve simple
arguments and resist bullying. They begin to take an active part
in the life of their school and its neighbourhood.
Key Stage 2 (7-11-year-olds)
During KS2, pupils learn about themselves as
growing and changing individuals with their own experiences and
ideas, and as members of their communities. They learn about the
wider world and the interdependence of communities within it.
They develop their sense of social justice and moral responsibility
and begin to understand that their own choices and behaviour can
affect local, national or global issues and political and social
institutions. They learn how to take part more fully in school
and community activities. As they begin to develop into young
adults, they face the challenge of transfer to secondary school
with support and encouragement from their school. They learn how
to make more confident and informed choices about their health
and environment; to take more responsibility, individually and
as a group, for their own learning; and to resist bullying.
At Key Stages 3 and 4 there are statutory programmes
of study for citizenship. Though schools can decide in how much
detail to cover the programmes of study, all pupils should be
taught the following.
Key Stage 3 (11-14-year-olds)
Building on what they have learnt at primary
school, at KS3, pupils study, reflect upon and discuss topical
political, spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues, problems
and events. They learn to identify the role of the legal, political,
religious, social and economic institutions and systems that influence
their lives and communities. They continue to be actively involved
in the life of their school, neighbourhood and wider communities
and learn to become more effective in public life. They learn
about fairness, social justice, respect for democracy and diversity
at school, local, national and global level, and through taking
part responsibly in community activities.
The programme of study at KS3 states that pupils
should be taught:
(a) the legal and human rights and responsibilities
underpinning society, basic aspects of the criminal justice system,
and how both relate to young people;
(b) the diversity of national, regional,
religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the
need for mutual respect and understanding;
(c) central and local government, the public
services they offer and how they are financed, and the opportunities
to contribute;
(d) the key characteristics of parliamentary
and other forms of government;
(e) the electoral system and the importance
of voting;
(f) the work of community-based, national
and international voluntary groups;
(g) the importance of resolving conflict
fairly;
(h) the significance of the media in society;
and
(i) the world as a global community, and
the political, economic, environmental and social implications
of this, and the role of the European Union, the Commonwealth
and the United Nations.
Key Stage 4 (14-16-year-olds)
During the final stage of compulsory citizenship
at KS4, students deepen their knowledge, skills and understanding
about all aspects of citizenship and continue to study, think
about and discuss topical political, spiritual, moral, social
and cultural issues, problems and events. They study the legal,
political, religious, social, constitutional and economic systems
that influence their lives and communities, looking more closely
at how they work and their effects. Students continue to be actively
involved in the life of their school, neighbourhood and wider
communities, taking greater responsibility and a more active role.
They develop a range of skills to help them do this, with a growing
emphasis on critical awareness and evaluation. They develop knowledge,
skills and understanding in these areas through, for example,
learning more about fairness, social justice, respect for democracy
and diversity at school, local, national and global level, and
through taking part in community activities.
The programme of study at KS4 states that pupils
should be taught:
(a) the legal and human rights and responsibilities
underpinning society and how they relate to citizens, including
the role and operation of the criminal and civil justice systems;
(b) the origins and implications of the diverse
national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United
Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding;
(c) the work of Parliament, the Government
and the courts in making and shaping the law;
(d) the importance of playing an active part
in democratic and electoral processes;
(e) how the economy functions, including
the role of business and financial services;
(f) the opportunities for individuals and
voluntary groups to bring about social change locally, nationally,
in Europe and internationally;
(g) the importance of a free press, and the
media's role in society, including the Internet, in providing
information and affecting opinion;
(h) the rights and responsibilities of consumers,
employers and employees;
(i) the United Kingdom's relations in Europe,
including the European Union, and relations with the Commonwealth
and the United Nations; and
(j) the wider issues and challenges of global
interdependence and responsibility, including sustainable development
and Local Agenda 21.
In addition, at both key stages, pupils develop
skills of enquiry and communication and skills of participation
and responsible action. For example at KS4, pupils are taught
to:
— research a topical political, spiritual,
moral, social or cultural issue, problem or event by analysing
information from different sources, including ICT-based sources,
showing an awareness of the use and abuse of statistics;
— express, justify and defend orally
and in writing a personal opinion about such issues, problems
or events;
— contribute to group and exploratory
class discussions, and take part in formal debates;
— use their imagination to consider
other people's experiences and be able to think about, express,
explain and critically evaluate views that are not their own;
— negotiate, decide and take part responsibly
in school and community-based activities; and
— reflect on the process of participating.
2.2 Post-16
The second Crick report recommended that opportunities
for citizenship should be available for post-16 students. specifically:
— citizenship should be acknowledged
as a key life skill;
— an entitlement to the development
of citizenship—of which participation should be a significant
component—should be established which would apply to all
students and trainees in the first phase of post-compulsory education
and training; and
— all young adults should have effective
opportunities to participate in activities relevant to the development
of their citizenship skills, and to have their achievements recognised.
The Post-16 Active Citizenship Development Programme,
managed on behalf of the Department by the Learning and Skills
Development Agency (LSDA), has engaged over 150 institutions across
the whole spectrum of post-16 learning routes—schools, colleges,
work-based training, community-based learning (eg youth work)—and
over 15,000 learners.
2.3 Assessment and Reporting
Assessment and reporting arrangements are similar
to other National Curriculum subjects. At key stages 1 & 2
schools are required to report pupils' progress annually to parents.
Schools are required to conduct a teacher assessment of pupils
at the end of key stage 3 and report this to parents. At key stage
4 there are no formal arrangements. Qualifications and Curriculum
Authority (QCA) guidance on assessment is available. But increasing
number of schools are entering pupils for the short course GCSE
in citizenship studies. The QCA have also just issued Assessing
citizenship—example assessment activities for key stage
3 which offers teacher practical help on how to assess pupils'
achievement.
Post-16, assessment and reporting is against
the learning outcomes set out in the QCA's curriculum guidance
and, where taken, against the requirements of relevant qualifications.
2.4 Citizenship Qualifications
A GCSE (short course) in citizenship studies
has been developed to give pupils the opportunity to obtain a
recognised qualification and a breadth of study. There were 38,000
entries for the GCSE in 2005—up 10,000 on 2004. It is the
fasted growing GCSE. In the citizenship GCSE (short course), 51.4%
of pupils gained A-C grades and 94.6% gained A-G grades.
Due to demand from schools we are developing
a full course GCSE and A level to be available by 2008. The QCA
is also working up a module for active citizenship, primarily
aimed at post-16 learners, in line with wider reforms of 14-19
and post-19 qualifications.
2.5 The Key Stage 3 Review
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
(QCA) is currently carrying out a review of the KS3 curriculum,
including citizenship. Their remit is to ensure that all subjects
are effectively aligned with the new emphasis on functional skills
set out in the 14-19 White Paper. This includes looking at the
subject content across all subjects to rationalise them and ensure
that they continue to adequately meet the needs of young people
and prepare them to participate confidently in a global economy.
The QCA were asked specifically consider the coherence between
citizenship and PSHE at key stage 3. The outcomes of this report
and what it means for citizenship will be available in due course.
3. EFFECTIVE
CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION
Schools are encouraged to use a number of ways
of providing citizenship which may include a combination of discrete
provision, explicit opportunities in a range of other subjects,
whole school and suspended timetable activities and pupils' involvement
in the life of the school and the wider community. There is no
specified amount of teaching time for citizenship education. Schools
are free to teach the subject in the way(s) which best suits their
school and pupils' circumstances. However, guidance in the KS3
strategy suggests that schools should spend about one hour a week
on citizenship.
However schools decide to deliver the citizenship
curriculum, there is a need to ensure progression through the
key stages and building on what they have learnt at previous levels.
3.1 Quality of teaching and learning
Citizenship is a relatively new subject and,
like any new subject, it will take time to properly embed itself
into schools and for teachers to develop the skills and knowledge
to teach it effectively.
Reports on citizenship by Ofsted have recognised
that citizenship is often less well taught than other subjects
in the National Curriculum. However, the reports also recognise
the excellent progress being made. Progress appears to be greatest
when there is strong leadership from the head teacher and the
senior management team. The Ofsted report in October 2005 stated
that; Pupils' achievement [in citizenship] is good in more than
two fifths of schools and that there have been substantial developments
in the subject since its introduction in 2002. The report recognised
that many schools have established good programmes of citizenship
and that teaching is good in over half of schools. It also acknowledges
that there are indications of significant improvement as teachers
gain experience in planning and develop their subject knowledge
and teaching methods.
As the Chief Inspector said in a speech in November
2005, "the progress made to date by the more committed schools
suggests that the reasons for introducing citizenship are both
worthwhile and can be fulfilled, given the time and resources.
Indeed, those reasons are given added weight by national and global
events of the past few months. While not claiming too much, citizenship
can address core skills, attitudes and values that young people
need to consider as they come to terms with a changing world."
Post-16
The joint Ofsted/ALI report on the Post-16 Active
Citizenship Development Programme (also October 2005) observed
that the "post-16 citizenship programme has promoted much
high achievement across the range of objectives defined in the
QCA's framework for citizenship. Young people in different settings
and pursuing qualifications at different levels were overwhelmingly
positive about their citizenship projects. Teaching and training
were good in the majority of centres seen. The best teaching was
by confident teachers who had familiarised themselves with the
QCA guidelines. In the best programmes, assessment was linked
closely to the QCA's learning objectives for citizenship and to
the activities and programme of study. All the successful projects
benefited from carefully planned introduction and implementation
and were characterised by the enthusiasm and commitment of those
leading them. Senior managers saw development within citizenship
as central to the work and ethos of their institution or company
and set a clear direction for the activities that learners would
undertake."
The report recommended that steps should be
taken to provide additional guidance to make sure that learners'
needs in citizenship are taken into account across all programme
types and modes of attendance in the full range of settings; to
strengthen professional development for teachers and trainers
of citizenship programmes, especially in teaching about political
literacy, community involvement and controversial issues; and
to seek to disseminate the key messages from the experience of
the pilot phase to wider audiences in post-16 education. We have
responded to these recommendations by establishing a support programme,
to be managed by the new Quality and Improvement Agency (QIA),
which will disseminate and promote the best practice models from
the Development Programme more widely.
Improving the quality of teaching & learning
In order to improve the quality of teaching
and learning in citizenship education, the Government has introduced
a number of measures to develop the skills and knowledge of those
teaching citizenship, and to provide support to schools and LA's.
3.2. Support for Schools
Working with the QCA, the Government issued
a package of support to all schools. The pack contained all the
guidance documents written for schools including the programmes
of study for citizenship which set out the legal requirements
for the National Curriculum at KS3 and 4, guidance on how to assess
citizenship, and schemes of work. The units contained in the schemes
of work illustrate the different ways that teachers can develop
learning opportunities to respond to the specific needs and priorities
of pupils, their communities and the schools themselves.
A self-evaluation toolkit for secondary schools
has also been made available to all schools to help them monitor
their progress in the subject and improve. A primary school version
of this tool is under development at present. In addition, the
citizenship section of the DfES website is designed to support
teachers and includes useful links and a database of available
resources this can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/citizenship.
As the subject was new to schools, the Department
identified the need to pump prime the development of new resources
materials for schools. Working with organisations such as the
Citizenship Foundation, the Hansard Society, the Institute for
Citizenship, Community Service Volunteers and School Councils
UK, the Department funded the development of a range of materials
to support teachers in the classroom. For example, three new publications
by School Councils UK, supported by DfES were launched in December
2005: their new handbook for primary schools; the associated toolkit
for primary schools; and the School Councils for All handbook,
which includes guidance for special schools and pupils with special
educational needs.
Details of all these resources and leaflets
explaining citizenship for parents and governors can all be found
on the above website.
The Department recognised the need for an association
of teachers to work to support the new subject. The Association
for Citizenship Teaching (ACT) is the professional subject association
for those involved in citizenship education and is part funded
by the department to deliver training and support for schools
and develop specialist resources such as its journal. ACT is an
important source of advice for teachers and schools. Dissemination
of good practice and reviews of new materials by teachers for
teachers have been beneficial.
3.3 Teacher Training
Initial Teacher Training
The ministerial working party approved a new
programme of Initial Teacher Education which began in 2001 to
train over 200 specialist citizenship teachers each academic year.
This year 240 places have been allocated. We will have made available
over 1,000 citizenship trainee teacher places by the end of this
academic year. Ofsted have recognised that the calibre of students
on the PGCE courses has been extremely high, citizenship enables
people with politics, law and economics degrees, for example,
to enter the teaching profession. The Training and Development
Agency (TDA) has invested £300,000 a year for the last three
years in conferences, a website and useful materials to support
the Higher Education institutions and other providers of PGCE
courses.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
A new CPD Handbook
The Government has taken action to strengthen
the position of Citizenship in the curriculum and the quality
of teaching and learning. Much of our focus in recent months has
been promoting continuing professional development (CPD) activities
in citizenship education. We published a new Citizenship CPD handbook,
Making Sense of Citizenship on 22 February developed in
partnership with the Citizenship Foundation. Free copies of the
book have been made available to all secondary schools, Citizenship
advanced skills teachers and Local Authority Citizenship Advisors.
In order to make this resource more accessible, five chapters
of the handbook, including the chapter on primary schools, are
available online. The Association of Citizenship Teachers (ACT),
are organising training and dissemination events for the handbook
throughout the country.
CPD Pilot
Last year the Department funded five CPD advisers
to identify training needs of teachers and help develop a new
CPD pilot certificate. The pilot for a CPD certificate in citizenship
teaching ran between March and December 2005 in North West, Midlands
and London/South East regions. The pilots included a distance-learning
option and were set up to test out how a certification programme
can best help teachers improve the effectiveness of the teaching
and leadership of citizenship and raise standards of attainment
and achievement in primary, secondary, special schools and post-16
settings. The pilots have now been completed and following a positive
evaluation we are introducing a phased roll-out programme to allow
1,200 teachers to take the certificate over the next two years.
This will contribute significantly to the expertise in schools
in delivering effective citizenship education.
Training events across the country were also
provided in 2002 for all LA advisors. The role of local authorities
in supporting citizenship education is important, particularly
when making the links between schools and how young people can
feed into the participation agenda at local level. The Department
has also funded over 60 Advanced Skills Teacher places across
all local authorities in England. These are teachers who have
demonstrated an expertise in citizenship and who are citizenship
champions for their own schools. AST's spend 20% of their time
doing outreach work in their LA's and supporting other schools
to develop citizenship provision. This network of experts has
helped to spread good practice.
3.4 Inspection of Citizenship by Ofsted
New Ofsted inspection arrangements have been
in place since September 2005 and support citizenship in schools.
The new Self Evaluation Form (SEF) asks schools to evidence how
they are preparing pupils to be active citizens and evidence collected
will enhance the current picture we have of how citizenship is
developing.
In addition, young people are increasingly important
in the inspection process as their views on how their school is
run are sought directly by inspectors the involvement of young
people in the inspection of their schools is another example of
citizenship education in action.
4. ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
Young people's participation in the civic and
democratic life of their home and school communities provides
a valuable context in which citizenship can be practised. Empowering
children and young people to effect change directly in their schools
and local areas will help them develop self-belief in their ability
to influence outcomes and can help them to develop the skills,
confidence and self-esteem they will need for the future. The
Government supports young people to become active citizens in
their home and school communities by supporting initiatives that
contribute to young people's development around the three interrelated
themes.
4.1 Participation and understanding democratic
life
To increase the awareness of young people about
the electoral process, the Department for Education and Skills
has funded the Hansard Society's "Mock Elections" in
schools providing an informative and fun way for young people
to get a taste of democracy. Pupils are encouraged to stand as
candidates, form election teams and run election campaigns that
mirror the real election process. 2,124 schools registered and
over 800,000 students took part in the 2005 WHY Vote Mock Elections
for primary and secondary schools.
The Government also provides core funding to
the UK Youth Parliament which helps young people to develop into
active citizens and is a valuable route through which their voices
can be heard by local and national decision-makers. One current
key priority area for UK youth parliament is to engage those young
people who are hardest to reach and to develop MYP's awareness
and understanding of the issues facing the most disadvantaged
young people.
4.2 Participation in decision making at a
local level
Local authorities are required to consult children
and young people as part of the development of their Children
and Young People's Plan, giving them a valuable opportunity to
become active citizens in their communities.
Nurturing the skills, willingness and expertise
of staff in the voluntary and statutory sector underpins their
ability to practise meaningful participation. The Government funded
the National Children's Bureau and the Carnegie Young People Initiative
to develop "Participation Works", which was launched
in October 2005. This initiative provides an online gateway to
participation resources, good practice, research, organisational
standards and training. It includes a website, access to databases,
core standards for participation and access to networks of participation
workers and professionals engaged in participation by children
and young people.
We have also supported the Children's Rights
Alliance for England to produce a comprehensive training programme
Ready Steady Change, to increase children and young people's effective
participation in decision-making. Two core training handbooks
have been developed—one designed to increase the skills,
knowledge and confidence of children and young people, the other
to increase the skills, knowledge and confidence of all those
working with children and young people. Copies of these training
materials will be sent out to all local authorities. Alongside
the core materials, a series of specialist training packs have
been developed. These include training materials for people working
with children and young people in the youth justice system (including
in custody); "power tools" for young people in adolescent
psychiatric units and; fun days for children and young people
in care, to equip them to get involved in decision-making.
4.3 Active Citizens in Schools (ACiS) Scheme
ACiS is a flexible award scheme that empowers
young people to get involved in volunteering projects that benefit
the school and wider community. ACiS built on the Millennium Volunteers
model, extending it to a younger age group by engaging 11-15-year-olds
in volunteering activities through their schools. It supports
schools' delivery of the citizenship curriculum through real-life
experiences and provides opportunities for pupils to engage in
active citizenship first hand.
ACiS was piloted during 2001-04. The pilot was
delivered by two charities: Changemakers who worked in 18 schools
in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, concentrating on Key Stage
3 and 4; and ContinYou who worked in 10 schools across Brent,
Bradford, Medway, Staffordshire and York, concentrating on Key
Stage 3. Both developed subtly different models of delivery.
The DfES commissioned the Institute for Volunteering
Research to evaluate the ACiS pilot. The key findings were:
— ACiS was successful in providing
a diverse range of quality opportunities and there was a commitment
towards developing a young person-led approach, which was a defining
feature of ACiS.
— Benefits for the young people
were clear, and included increased personal development and enhanced
skills development (such as team working, and getting their point
across). Young people also reported a sense of pride in their
achievements, making new friends and having fun.
— Impacts were also evident on
the schools. These included: improved behaviour—11 of the
13 schools responding to the impact questionnaire reported a positive
effect on students' behaviour; enhanced relationships between
pupils and staff; increased profile and reputation for schools
and a changing ethos.
— Positive impacts on local communities
were also apparent, but were less significant than on the schools
and young people. Partly this was due to an emphasis on "school
community", but it was also due to difficulties with establishing
community-based activities. Positive benefits highlighted included
providing new links to schools, the activities delivered by young
people, and changes in attitudes among members of the wider community.
The ACiS scheme is flexible and schools can
adapt it to suit their experience, situation and enthusiasms.
Young people involved in ACiS make a sustained commitment to actively
participating in their school or community. This is encouraged
by recognition for 25 and 50 hours through certificates issued
by the school.
4.4 Millennium Volunteers Programme
The Department has recognised the impact that
volunteering can have on both young people and their communities.
Evaluation of the Active Citizens in Schools (ACiS) and Millennium
Volunteers (MV) schemes has shown the real benefits that occur
when young people get involved and are properly supported in their
activities. In addition, case study evidence has shown clear benefits
for both mentors and mentees when peer (or near peer) mentoring
is introduced into schools. The Millennium Volunteers (MV) programme
is a UK-wide government supported initiative designed to promote
sustained volunteering among young people aged 16-24.
MV is based on nine key principles: sustained
personal commitment, community benefit, voluntary participation,
inclusiveness, ownership by young people, variety, partnership,
quality and recognition. MV aims to recognise young people's volunteering
through presenting them with a Certificate after 100 hours and
an Award of Excellence and Personal Profile after 200 hours. Most
MVs valued their Awards and Certificates.
The aim of MV is to be inclusive of everyone
between the ages of 16-24, but particularly young people who have
no previous experience of volunteering and those vulnerable to
social exclusion. Across the UK 90% of MVs were white, 2% black,
5% Asian and 4% other. Compared to the profile of the population
of 16-24-year-olds as a whole, MV has been successful in attracting
young people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.
MV has been particularly successful in attracting
young people who had never volunteered before, with nearly half
of all MVs having no previous experience of volunteering. This
was especially so in England. However, several projects made the
point that young people may underestimate the extent of their
previous involvement.
4.5 Post-16 Active Citizenship
The required learning outcomes for post-16 active
citizenship are set out in curriculum guidance developed by the
QCA. This emphasizes that all citizenship education should involve
young people in active citizenship—making decisions and
taking action both in organisations where they learn and in wider
communities—and points to research and experience which
have shown that citizenship education is most effective when it
involves active learning and is led by young people themselves.
This QCA curriculum guidance reflects the effective curriculum
models developed by the project sites participating in the Post-16
Active Citizenship Development Programme.
5. CROSS-GOVERNMENT
WORKING
Key Government Departments were represented
on the Ministerial Citizenship Education working party until 2005
when the decision was taken to hold cross-Whitehall policy seminars
involving the people who are involved in the delivery of citizenship
education in the schools and LA's.
Last year the Home Office held a seminar with
the Department for Education and Skills where a commitment was
given to provide continuing support for schools and teachers to
deliver effective citizenship education as part of the National
Curriculum in schools. The seminar focused on the importance of
involving young people in practical action as part of the process
of active citizenship education. The Government is committed to
raising the profile of citizenship learning for all ages so that
its crucial importance is better understood. The DfES is also
working with the Department of Constitutional Affairs which is
funding the Citizenship Foundation to produce a young people's
guide to the British constitution for use in the classroom. We
are also participating in the Public Legal Education Task force
set up by DCA to extend understanding of how law works in practical
terms and in which schools are seen as having very important role.
We are linking with the HO-led Together We Can
action plan which provides another important mechanism to encourage
collaborative working. And, the Steering Group for the Active
Learning for Active Citizenship (ALAC) programme, led by the Civil
Renewal Unit, involves representatives from a number of departments,
as well as from other sectors. We are committed to ensuring that
there is continuing collaboration amongst all those involved in
citizenship education for all age groups.
6. STUDENTS'
EXPERIENCES OF
CITIZENSHIP—THE
EVIDENCE
The Department commissioned the National Foundation
for Educational Research to conduct an eight-year longitudinal
looking at the impact of citizenship education on young people
and schools. The research began in 2002 and reports are produced
each year. These reports are used in developing policy and informing
the Department about concerns which schools have.
The 2005 report highlights the reality of citizenship
education for young people in school and in local communities
in England three years after introduction.
It underlines the growing power of student voice;
emphasises the important role schools play as a "site"
of citizenship learning and their influence on students' conceptions
of citizenship, their civic knowledge and sense of efficacy and
empowerment. It shows that teachers and school leaders remain
positive about the impact of citizenship on students' participation,
engagement and tolerance.
Young people reveal that they are actively engaged
with citizenship issues in both their school and the wider community
and feel that they can "make a difference". However,
there are still considerable challenges to be overcome in developing
effective practice in citizenship in schools.
Listening to young people, the third annual
report of the Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study, is based
on the responses of 6,400 students aged 13-18, 238 school and
college leaders and 876 teachers and college tutors in the academic
year 2003-04.
Key findings
— Students report that citizenship
is more noticeable to them in schools than was the case in 2002.
They associate citizenship more with rights and responsibilities
and issues of identity and equality than with formal political
processes.
— The citizenship classroom continues
to be a "traditional" teaching and learning environment
with methods such as note taking, working from textbooks, and
listening while the teacher talks taking precedence over discussion
and debate and the use of new information and communication technologies.
— Certain citizenship curriculum
topic areas are less likely to be taught than others; in particular,
topics such as voting and elections, the European Union, the economy
and business, Parliament and governance. Citizenship knowledge
continues to be closely linked to home literacy resources; the
more books that students report their homes contain, the higher
their knowledge scores.
— Schools report they are "moderately
democratic", suggesting that the idealism of citizenship
as involving equal democratic participation for all is giving
way to the reality that there are limits to participation and
democracy in schools.
— Schools are strengthening their
community links in recognition that effective citizenship education
involves not just the school and its curriculum and culture/ethos,
but also how the school relates to the wider community.
— Students continue to report
low levels of intention to participate in conventional politics
in the future, beyond voting. They trust their family the most,
while politicians and the EU score the lowest levels of trust.
— The report suggests possible
changes in students' development of citizenship dimensions across
a number of age ranges and educational stages. Findings suggest
that there may be a considerable "dip" in development
around Year 10, when students are aged 14-15. However, at this
stage of the analysis it remains unclear whether these findings
are cohort specific, will be replicated in future years, or indeed
if such a "dip" exists nationally. This requires further
in-depth investigation.
— Students' sense of belonging
and attachment to the different communities in their lives may
change over time. It is noticeable in the survey that students'
sense of belonging to the school community increases with age
in comparison with their attachment to other communities.
One of the report's authors said: "The
report highlights the complex nature of young people's citizenship
experiences and attitudes. It shows that they are active, informed
and responsible about citizenship issues. It reveals signs that
the introduction of citizenship in schools is beginning to have
an influence and pinpoints a number of areas that require further
in-depth investigation."
7. CONCLUSION
Citizenship is still a relatively new subject
for schools. It was introduced as a formal part of the secondary
curriculum four years ago and though many schools have built on
strong foundations and introduced excellent and exciting new teaching
and learning opportunities, we recognise that many still have
some way to go. Citizenship is not as well embedded in the school
curriculum as other subjects, it does not have a long history
of specialist teacher training or CPD.
Citizenship remains a dynamic subject which
responds to issues concerning society and how these come about.
The Department is currently examining the role citizenship education
can play in understanding our shared values as citizens and the
origins of these values in modern British history. Concepts such
as identity and belonging are already covered by the curriculum,
but the ways in which these are taught and the additional support
teachers may require need to be investigated further.
The citizenship content of the National Curriculum
must respond to these issues in a positive way to ensure that
it remains a core part of our young people's social and moral
development. Citizenship provides a huge opportunity for young
people to get involved and have their say. As one head teacher
put it:
"Citizenship will enable our pupils to be
active, informed citizens; able to effect change to improve their
lives and their communities [...]"
(Keith Ajegbo, Head teacher, Deptford Green School)
March 2006
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