The Future of Citizenship Education: meet our panel

Marcus is a former London secondary comprehensive school teacher of history, politics and citizenship. In citizenship education, he led one of the first subject departments in the country, helping to shape policy and practice in the subject and gaining significant national and international attention in the process. In higher education he has been a lecturer in citizenship at UCL Institute of Education and London Metropolitan University as well as leading teacher education at London Metropolitan University and Goldsmiths, University of London.

Alfie is 19 and is currently studying at university in Liverpool to become a primary school teacher. Alfie will bring an interesting perspective – both a student who experienced citizenship lessons and now as a trainee primary teacher whose course includes citizenship. He is interested in educational issues, especially those surrounding inequalities in education and how these can be addressed through policy and collective action. Alfie has been an active member of the Fair Education Alliance Youth Steering Group, and was central to co-designing the Youth Engagement Strategy and has gone on to represent the group during Ofsted consultations and interviewing the Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza.

Michelle Codrington-Rogers is a teacher of Citizenship and PSHE at The Cherwell School, a large secondary school in Oxford. Michelle was elected National President for NASUWT in 2020-21, making her the first black female president in the union’s 101 year history. Michelle wants to see political literacy, social justice, rights education and rights protection as priorities for the subject, as well as creating space for youth voices and to challenge ‘difficult’ topics.

At Passmores Academy students are taught how to become active, questioning citizens of the world, as well as becoming independent learners through a programme called ‘i-Future’; students also study GCSE Citizenship Studies. Passmores Academy is well known for the BAFTA winning series Educating Essex, which was first filmed in 2011. Mr Goddard is an inspiring head teacher and author, who encourages teachers to become leaders, and advocates passionately for all young people.

Professor Bryony Hoskins is an internationally renowned expert on political socialisation specialising in political engagement across Europe and the Middle East. Her latest book is on Education, Democracy and Inequality: Political Engagement and Citizenship Education in Europe and is published by Palgrave Macmillan. She has extensive experience of performing consultancies for UNICEF, UNESCO, European Commission, Council of Europe and the UK Cabinet Office on topics such as measuring citizenship, education and the European Union.