Citizenship

Education for citizenship at the College aims to provide young people with the knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes and values that will help them:

to become informed citizens aware of their rights, responsibilities and duties
to realise that they can have an influence and make a difference in their communities
to play an effective and active role in society in relation to their local, national and international communities.

This all involves young people in active and paticipative learning in a range of settings, including in classrooms, in the life of the school and in the wider community.

Citizenship education is a lifelong process.

It begins in the home and an individual's immediate surroundings, with questions about self-identity and relationships, making choices, and ideas of fairness and right and wrong. It continues to develop as the individual's surroundings and horizons expand at home, in school and with friends in local communities.

Citizenship benefits young people by giving them a voice and helping them to develop the expertise and experience that will prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of adult and working life.

At the College it helps to produce motivated and responsible learners who relate positively to each other, to staff and to the surrounding community.

Subject Content In Action

Citizenship education involves a wide range of different elements of learning, including:

Knowledge and understanding
e.g. about topics such as laws and rules, the democratic process, the media, human rights, diversity, money and the economy, sustainable development and the world as a global community - and concepts, such as democracy, justice, equality, freedom, authority and the rule of law.

Skills and aptitudes
e.g. critical thinking, analysing information, expressing opinions, taking part in discussions and debates, negotiating conflict resolution and participating in community action.

Values and attitudes
e.g. respect for justice, democracy and the rule of law, openness, tolerance, courage to defend a point of view, and a willingness to listen to, work with and stand up for others.

At the College we believe that the most effective form of learning in citizenship education is:

Active - emphasizes learning by doing
Interactive - uses discussion and debate
Relevant - focuses on real-life issues facing young people and society
Critical - encourages young people to think for themselves
Collaborative - employs group-work and co-operative learning
Participative - gives young people a say in their own learning

This learning takes place in three distinct aspects of life at the College:

Firstly, through the taught curriculum of Citizenship lessons combined with an element of units or activities in other subjects e.g. Personal, Social and Health Education, Community Service and Religious Education.

Secondly, citizenship is learned through the ethos and culture of the College itself. We value young people and encourage them to take an active part in the life of the school e.g. Student Council which involves playing a part in decision-making and paired reading schemes, which involve taking on positions of responsibility.

Thirdly, citizenship is learned through opportunities for involvement in the local community and the wider world e.g. visiting local residents who are elderly or disadvantaged, visits overseas, school links through DT provision and campaigns and fund-raising.

Citizenship at the College is seen as an essential part of the school curriculum linking curriculum, school culture and wider community. It is about contributing to creating more effective partnerships between the wider community and ourselves.

It is, very definitively, a lifelong process!

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