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.