Citizenship

By the end of Year 11, students will have studied the roles of parliament, government, and the criminal justice system. They will have looked at laws, legal processes, how the justice system operates in the UK and how society deals with criminality. Students will also have studied the nature of political power in the UK, building on core concepts relating to democracy and government. Students will have looked at the role of political parties, the election system, how other countries govern themselves and how they as citizens can bring about political change. Students will be able to engage critically with citizenship issues, consider a variety of viewpoints and beliefs, and have a deep understanding of what it means to be a global citizen. They will be able to use the knowledge gained over the course of their GCSE to think deeply and critically about a wide range of political, social, economic, and ethical issues and questions facing society both locally and globally. This will culminate in developing the knowledge, understanding and skills to participate responsibly and positively in their communities as active citizens.

By the end of Year 10, students will have looked in depth at the make-up, values and dynamics of contemporary UK society. They will have considered what it means to be British and the importance of the British values such as democracy. Students will have looked in depth at the roles and responsibilities of the traditional media and look critically at situations where these responsibilities have not been met. Students will also critically consider the impact of new media formats and how they can engage with them responsibility and safely. This knowledge will also be applied to analysing and evaluating sources and case-studies of citizenship issues. Students will have looked at the UK’s role in international organisations and the impact of Brexit on both the UK and the EU, giving them an understanding of the UK on both a national and global scale. They will have developed a good understanding of how to engage in debate and to translate their verbal debates into written, evaluative arguments. Students will have also completed their active citizenship project, which will involve a planned course of informed action with the aim of addressing a citizenship issue or question of concern. Students will choose their issue and investigate possible causes and solutions, with the aim of delivering a change to the local community or wider society.

By the end of Year 9, students will have been introduced to a range of Citizenship concepts and issues. Students will understand UK values and the role of different institutions within society that support them, for example: the government, parliament, the media, and the criminal justice system. Students will start to look critically at the roles of these organisations through case studies and current events. Media literacy will also be explored to provide students with the tools to engage effectively with different sources and news outlets. Students will have also looked at recent political movements both nationally and globally, using their understanding of UK values and media literacy to consider these movements and the issues surrounding them through the lens of global citizenship. By the end of year 9, students should have a solid understanding of the values and institutions that underpin contemporary UK society, how to engage critically with information and how to apply this knowledge to current events.