Citizenship
Curriculum statement: Citizenship
Citizenship is taught once a week to KS3 and is a GCSE option for KS4. Our aim and desire is for pupils to know their rights, understand how the country is run and be confident in how they can make a difference in their local area, country or even the world.
Key stage 3
Three key topics are taught in KS3:
- Law and Justice
- Human rights
- Democracy
Year 7:
Law and Justice: Pupils look at laws that apply at different ages, the reasons people commit crime and knife crime.
Human Rights: Pupils look at what human rights are why they are important, with emphasis on issues of discrimination.
Democracy: Pupils look at what democracy is on a school level e.g. school council.
Year 8:
Law and Justice: Pupils look at the difference between civil and criminal law, what the age of criminal responsibility is and what the youth criminal justice system is.
Human Rights: Pupils look at what human rights are and investigate topical issues such as slavery and surveillance.
Democracy: Pupils look at what democracy is on a local level e.g. local government.
Year 9:
Law and Justice: Pupils look at criminal punishments, the role of the Police and laws around terrorism.
Human Rights: Pupils look at what human rights are and investigate topical issues such as gender equality, forced marriage and abortion.
Democracy: Pupils look at what democracy is on a national level e.g. national government.
Key Stage 4
Pupils follow the Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies course. There are two written exam papers assessing five topics at the end of the course: Theme A: Living together in the UK, Theme B: Democracy at work, Theme C: Law and justice, Theme D: Power and influence and Theme E: Taking Citizenship action.