Subject Leader: Mrs A Maddox – amaddox@knoleacademy.org
Subject Teachers: Miss J Keen and Miss S Mannan
Exam Board: AQA
Intent
Our Key Stage 3 Citizenship course aims to:
- Develop students’ understanding of democracy, government, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens in the UK and wider world.
- Foster critical thinking skills and encourage students to engage with contemporary social and political issues.
- Promote active citizenship by empowering students to participate in school and community life.
- Cultivate respect for diversity and promote equality, challenging discrimination and prejudice.
- Develop media literacy skills to help students navigate and critically evaluate information in the digital age.
Implementation
To achieve these goals, our Citizenship course will be implemented through:
- Engaging lessons that combine theoretical knowledge with practical applications, using a variety of teaching methods including discussions, debates, and role-playing exercises.
- Use of current affairs and real-world examples to make learning relevant.
- Collaborative work that encourages teamwork and develop research skills.
- Cross-curricular links with subjects like History, Geography, and PSHE to reinforce learning and demonstrate the interconnected nature of citizenship issues.
- Regular assessment through a combination of written work, presentations, and practical demonstrations of citizenship skills.
Impact
By the end of Key Stage 3, we expect our Citizenship course to have the following impact:
- Students will demonstrate a solid understanding of the UK’s democratic system, including the role of parliament, government, and the justice system.
- Students will show increased engagement with current affairs and be able to articulate informed opinions on social and political issues.
- Students will exhibit greater awareness of diversity issues and show respect for different cultures and viewpoints.
- Students will show enhanced critical thinking skills, particularly in evaluating media sources and recognizing bias.
- There will be an increase in students’ confidence in expressing their views and participating in debates and discussions.
Citizenship in Each Stage
In year 7, pupils explore Rules, Fairness, Rights and Responsibilities, including why we need rules and the delicate balance between rights and responsibilities. We then move on to identity and communities and look at questions such as living together and how we can all get along.
Finally, in Year 7, we look at liberty and freedom and the extent to which these are necessary for a liberal democracy
In Year 8, we build on our work in Year 7 and investigate more practical issues that are relevant to students’ increasing maturity and independence. We look at managing money, being a clever consumer, and understanding the impact of borrowing and debt. We then look at laws and the justice system with an emphasis on the youth justice system, using case studies to understand the processes and options available for sentencing. Finally, in Year 8, students will work on a small independent project to identify an issue in their local community that could be improved by taking citizen action and researching, planning and implementing how this could be achieved.
Year 9 is all about Parliamentary Democracy, where we will look at the history of parliament and contemporary issues such as political parties and how we are represented. Students will understand how laws are made, how the government works, and how the local MP works to represent the views and interests of their constituents.
Throughout KS3, depending on circumstances and restrictions, there may be opportunities for guest speakers such as local councillors and magistrates as well as visits to places such as the Crown Court and Houses of Parliament.
The AQA syllabus is followed for GCSE.
Citizenship studies investigate how citizens are enabled by society to play a full and active part and how citizens are empowered to effect change within society. Citizenship understanding develops through understanding how society operates and functions and its underlying values.
Citizenship allows students to develop knowledge and understanding of the role of citizenship in relation to current issues that impact on modern society, engaging them with what it means to be an active citizen and preparing them for their next steps in today’s global world.
Course of Study
- Life in Modern Britain
- Rights and Responsibiliy
- Politics and Participation
- Citizenship Action
Examination Information
Exam Board: AQA
Qualification: GCSE Citizenship Studies 8100
There will be two exams at the end of Year 11, which are 1 hour and 45 minutes long and carry equal weight. The questions are a mix of multiple choice, short answer, source-based questions and extended answers.
In addition to this, there is a course requirement for students to, either individually or as part of a group, complete a citizenship action, which is defined as addressing a citizenship issue or question of concern to deliver a change or benefit for a particular community or wider society. The knowledge and understanding gained from the implementation of the project will be tested in one of the papers.
Citizenship Future Paths
Students can progress further at KS5 with IB Global Politics, IB Social & Cultural Anthropology and BTEC Extended Certificate in Applied Law.