Skip navigation

Active Citizenship - Key Stage 3 Toolkit and Award Resources

Key stage 3 (ages 11-14) • Active Citizenship • ACTive Citizenship toolkit

What is the ACTive Citizenship Toolkit and Award? 

The toolkit and award scheme is designed to:

  • celebrate and acknowledge the positive social changes that children are making in communities through informed, democratic action
  • support, engage and empower children to become change makers, and to lead action on real issues they are concerned about
  • guide teachers with clear pedagogy and curriculum advice
  • involve pupils in learning how to take part in democracy and use their Citizenship knowledge, skills and understanding to work together to make a positive difference in the world around them.

Toolkit resources

This edition of the toolkit resources was designed for key stage 3 pupils. To achieve the ACTive Citizenship Award, pupils design, develop, undertake and report on an active citizenship project. Their project can be on any issue that links to the Citizenship curriculum where they want to challenge, change or improve the community or wider society. For instance, addressing homelessness in society, improving the sustainability of their school, inviting a local or national politician to discuss issues affecting the community, improving the voice of young people in decision-making at their local council.

Read more about Active Citizenship as a key part of Citizenship education.

Why not try our ready-to-use lessons on Active Citizenship, ‘How can I be a changemaker?’

'Together we will change the world' message written on the ground.

Sustainability, climate change and active citizenship

The toolkit can be used to encourage more pupils to take part in responsible action to address the issue of climate change and sustainability. For example, the DfE Sustainability and Climate Education Strategy  identifies this as a priority to help pupils develop a sense of agency. This can have a positive impact pupils wellbeing as being part of positive change can help to alleviate eco-anxiety.

Read more on Citizenship and the DFE Climate education strategy in ACT Teaching Citizenship journal (issue 55).