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ACT is the professional subject association for those involved in citizenship education. This website offers resources and information to help you deliver excellent citizenship education.
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National Curriculum - Secondary
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Citizenship Education Explained
Citizenship education provides pupils with the knowledge, skills and understanding to become informed citizens, aware of their rights, duties and responsibilities.
The current national curriculum stipulates three key concepts for citizenship education. These are:
1. Democracy and Justice
2. Rights and Responsibilities
3. Identities and Diversity - living together in the UK.
Pupils can take GCSE and A Level exams in Citizenship. In 2010 94,635 pupils took the Citizenship GCSE. Citizenship supports key aspects of the way schools carry out their statutory duties for example in addressing aspects of violence and extremism and developing knowledge about democracy.
Politicians from all parties, teachers and young people campaigned for Citizenship education to be part of the curriculum. Citizenship contributes directly to the health of national democracy. It fires pupils’ interest in politics, voting, justice and the law.
National Curriculum for Citizenship Education valid in English secondary schools until September 2014
Citizenship education uniquely teaches young people:
- About parliamentary and other government systems
- About the role of citizens in political and judicial systems
- Knowledge about democracy and justice; rights and duties
- About how different rights and obligations affect individuals and communities
- About different identities and what it means to be a citizen
- About the diverse national, cultural and religious values in the UK
- To consider the interconnections between the UK, Europe and the wider world
- To explore the forces that bring about changes in communities over time
- The skills of advocacy and representation
- Critical thinking on contemporary issues
- How to take informed and responsible action as citizens.
Citizenship education is important because it
- Ensures all pupils have political, legal and economic education
- Teaches the skills and aspirations for volunteering and engaging in local issues
- Teaches pupils to understand citizens’ duties and rights, responsibilities and opportunities
- Links local learning and action to global learning and action
- Teaches pupils to reflect on diverse ideas, opinions and beliefs
- Teaches pupils the skills to explore and understand contemporary controversial issues
- Equips pupils to undertake enquiries into issues and problems of local, national and international relevance
- Teaches pupils to explore creative approaches to taking action on problems and issues that matter to them
- Has the support of broad consensus of parents, teachers, school governors and pupils who want the subject to remain firmly on the curriculum.
The Coalition government is reviewing the current curriculum in English schools. Citizenship education should remain an entitlement in the National Curriculum in secondary schools.
To show your support please join Democratic Life! If you are talking to MPs, governors or parents, then you can download Citizenship explained where the information on this page is available as a handy word document.
Useful Documents - Right click to download
Education for Citizenship and the Teaching of Democracy in Schools (Crick Report) 1998
Uploaded : 11 April 2008
Filename : crickreport1998.pdf ( 416 K )
Description : This is the final report of the Advisory Group on Citizenship. It is the paper that recommended that Citizenship should be made statutory in the curriculum, leading to the introduction of Citizenship as statutory in 2002.
Diversity and Citizenship - Sir Keith Ajegbo (2007)
Uploaded : 11 April 2008
Filename : diversityandcitizenship.pdf ( 1.15 MB )
Description : This independent review, led by Sir Keith Ajegbo, makes a series of recommendations aimed at promoting diversity across the schools curriculum and the content of the curriculum for Citizenship Education.
The key proposal is that the secondary curriculum for Citizenship Education should include a new element entitled 'Identity and Diversity: Living Together in the UK'. This will mean that all pupils, as part of compulsory secondary Citizenship Education, would be taught about shared values and life in the UK. This will be informed by an understanding of contemporary issues and relevant historical context which gave rise to them.
This approach should be supported by a range of measures to ensure that all curriculum subjects adequately reflect the diversity of modern Britain, and that schools are appropriately supported in delivery of this education for diversity.
Uploaded : 07 December 2010
Filename : dcsf-rr052.pdf ( 686 K )
Description : The Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study (CELS), conducted by NFER on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills (DCSF) (formerly DfES), aims to identify, measure and assess the short-term and long-term effects of citizenship education in schools on students over time. The Study began in 2001 and is following the first cohort of students to have statutory Citizenship in secondary schools in England. It will end in 2009/2010.
Towards Consensus? Ofsted Report on Citizenship Education 2006
Uploaded : 07 December 2010
Filename : towards_consensus_citizenship_in_secondary_schools_(pdf_format).pdf ( 275 K )
Description : "Significant progress has been made in implementing National Curriculum citizenship in many secondary schools. However, there is not yet a strong consensus about the aims of citizenship education or about how to incorporate it into the curriculum. In a quarter of schools surveyed, provision is still inadequate, reflecting weak leadership and lack of specialist teaching."
Citizenship Established? Ofsted report on Citizenship education 2010
Uploaded : 07 December 2010
Filename : citizenship_established.pdf ( 298 K )
Description : "In 2006, the report Towards consensus? provided a picture of citizenship as an emerging presence in schools, with many gains since its introduction in 2002 but with considerable barriers to be overcome. This report, based on a similarly sized sample of schools, shows steady progress as citizenship becomes more widely understood and acquires depth in the light of experience, but also highlights what these schools need to tackle if citizenship is to be firmly established."
Uploaded : 17 January 2011
Filename : citizenship_education_future_doc.doc ( 70 K )
Description : A document of evidence to help advocates promote Citizenship education as a subject in schools. This is especially useful for teachers, headteachers and governors.
Response form for National Curriculum Review
Uploaded : 21 January 2011
Filename : response_form_for_national_curriculum_review.doc ( 533 K )
Description : You can download the response form here. Please ensure that you complete the sections on Citizenship education with quality evidence and submit BEFORE April 14th 2011.
Briefing document for Michael Gove
Uploaded : 02 February 2011
Filename : briefing_doc_for_gove.pdf ( 108 K )
Description : Briefing document used with Mr Gove on January 31st 2011
Template for teachers response to NC review
Uploaded : 07 March 2011
Filename : teachers_template.rtf ( 6 K )
Description : Use this to help you respond to question 15a of the NC review
Uploaded : 08 March 2011
Filename : act_ebac_submission_march_2011-final.rtf ( 4.54 MB )
Description : A document submitted to the Education Select Committee in March 2011
Uploaded : 18 March 2011
Filename : citizenship_education_explained.doc ( 282 K )
Description : A briefing document describing the purpose and importance of Citizenship education. This is expecially useful for briefing governors, parents, MPs and senior leaders.
Curriculum Thinking beyond 2014
Uploaded : 24 January 2012
Filename : curriculumthinking.pdf ( 286 K )
Description : This two-page paper by ACT & Democratic Life contributes to thinking about the future of Citizenship Education in the curriculum in England.
It responds to increasing concerns that young people must be better educated to understand and take responsibility for the collective well-being of our society and economy.
It defines the essential elements of citizenship education which are rooted in the study of politics, law and the economy and presents them in a new way. The paper also provides five principles for effective citizenship education in our schools.
Please read and contribute to the debate!
