Citizenship

Citizenship

Citizenship Studies is concerned with the kind of society we live in and want to influence and develop. It covers, too, the role of the public and private organisations in the process. School courses help prepare students to become active citizens. The best of them promote students’ personal and social development, and make them more self-confident and responsible, in the classroom and beyond.

All external examination courses emphasise developing awareness of the role of citizens in a variety of contexts.

Just about any educational visit will contribute to the students’ exploration of new experiences and new ideas about being a ‘citizen’, but venues and activities that bring students into contact with other communities, other social contexts and other attitudes will be particularly exciting. Many museums and venues specialise in giving hands-on experiences of what some aspects of life in earlier centuries was actually like. These tend to be attractive to primary school groups.

Secondary groups often visit civic centres and attend local council meetings. Both primary and secondary groups will be welcome at churches, chapels, synagogues, mosques and temple, some of which offer programmes of talks and exhibitions. In cities this is relatively easy to arrange but even in rural communities priests and lay church people are prepared to help schools.

The Citizenship Foundation would be an excellent starting point. It claims to help 80% of secondary schools to nurture citizenship, and sets out to inspire young people to contribute to society. The Association for Citizenship Teaching also provides advice and teaching resources, while the National Centre for Citizenship and the Law delivers law and justice education at national heritage sites.

 

Main organisations:

Citizenship Foundation 

Association for Citizenship Teaching

National Centre for Citizenship and the Law

PSHE Association

Democratic Life

Hansard Society

Inclusion: NASEN

 

Thought of visiting?

The Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green

National Trust Museum of Childhood, Sudbury, Derbyshire

Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh

The London Museum

The National Archives, Kew

Houses of Parliament

Welsh Assembly

Scottish Parliament

Northern Ireland Assembly

 

Although every visit can result in learning outcomes for Citizenship, for a complete list of venues and providers who deliver specialist courses and activities for this subject see below:

Oxford Bus and Morris Motors Museums

Venue Type: 
Transport
Overall Rating: 
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All aboard! See how engines work; what buses are made of; go aboard some; see old tickets and uniforms once used. View the workshop and on special days ride on a vintage bus. Morris Museum: see a 1970s police car; 1920s Bullnose Morris and a Mini in the original style.

The Museum has c40 vehicles on show, some of which you can go aboard and on the first Sunday of each month (Apr to Oct), most Bank Holidays and on special event days take a Free Bus Ride (see website).

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Finch Forge and Foundry

The last working water-powered forge in England
Venue Type: 
Science & Technology
Overall Rating: 
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The last working water-powered forge in the country nestles in the middle of Sticklepath village on the edge of Dartmoor, near Okehampton. During lively demonstrations see and hear the large water wheel and tilt hammers in action. Demonstrations of the machinery every hour. 

Discover life as an apprentice at the Foundry in the upper gallery and try and guess what all the different tools were used for in the Carpenters shop. Take a peek at Tom Pearse’s summerhouse of Widecombe Fair fame (learn the rhyme too!). 
Shop and tearoom.

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Drayton Manor

Venue Type: 
Theme Parks
Overall Rating: 
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Drayton Manor is a fun-filled theme park near Tamworth with rides like Apocalypse, Maelstrom and Pandemonium, animals and of course Thomas Land, home of Thomas the Tank Engine. There's even a 4D cinema and a Dino Trail.

School Visits

Drayton Manor is the favourite day out for schools and colleges. History, heritage, nature and conservation, science, Business and leisure and Health and Safety – there's a host of educational opportunities – plus real value for money!

Key Stage 1 Workshops

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Denny Abbey and the Farmland Museum

Venue Type: 
Religious Buildings
Overall Rating: 
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Denny Abbey has a unique and fascinating history. 

Founded in 1159 as a Benedictine monastery, it then became a retirement home for elderly Knights Templars. After the Templars’ suppression for alleged heresy in 1308, it became a convent of Franciscan nuns before becoming a farm from 1539 and the dissolution of the monasteries, until the 1960s. 

All these changes are still traceable in the building and are interpreted for visitors by graphic panels illustrated by local artist Anne Biggs. 

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Levant Mine and Beam Engine

Unique steam-powered Cornish beam engine in action
Venue Type: 
Science & Technology
Overall Rating: 
0

Part of Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site, this is the only Cornish beam engine anywhere in the world that is still in steam on its original mine site.

The famous Levant engine is housed in a small engine house perched on the edge of the cliffs.

Restored after 60 idle years by a group of volunteers known as the 'Greasy Gang', it is a thrilling experience for young and old alike to see this old engine in action, with its evocative sounds and smells.

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Apedale Heritage Centre

Discover the lost industrial heritage of the Apedale Valley
Venue Type: 
Museums
Overall Rating: 
0

Created at the site of Staffordshire's Apedale Mine, offering an underground mine experience, with informative museum, café and gift shop.

We are located in North Staffordshire’s Apedale Community Country Park in an area that was once an industrial powerhouse.

The Heritage Centre was founded in 2001 on the site of Apedale Colliery, which had closed a few years earlier in 1998. We are entirely run by volunteers and our main funding comes from our café, mine tours and donations.

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Dolaucothi Gold Mines

Gold mines in use from Roman times to the 20th Century
Venue Type: 
Science & Technology
Overall Rating: 
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These unique gold mines are set amid wooded hillsides overlooking the beautiful Cothi Valley.

2,000 years ago, the powerful Romans left behind a glimpse of gold-mining methods. The harsh mining environment continued in the 19th and 20th centuries, ending in 1938.

Guided tours take you back to experience the conditions of the Roman, Victorian and 1930s underground workings.

See and hear the 1930s mine and mine machinery. Have a go at gold panning and take the opportunity to experience the frustrations of searching for real gold.

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Quainton Windmill

Visit the tallest windmill in the South East of England, built in the early 1800s
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
0

Quainton Windmill is a great place for kids to learn about the history of windmills and this one in particular.

It was originally restored in the 1970s but is currently undergoing further restoration at the moment, (which means the sails have been removed)but it is still an interesting place to visit.

There are six floors to explore, each with something different to learn about from the knowledgeable and friendly volunteers.

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Combe Martin Museum and Tourist Information Point

Venue Type: 
Museums
Overall Rating: 
0

Combe Martin has a rich history combining unique social customs with silver mining, lime burning, strawberry growing as well as the maritime aspects. 

A fantastic Seaside Laboratory is open for all to use with the facility to explore the beach and go rock-pooling. Beach safaris led by museum volunteers are held regularly when weather and tides permit

Our unique Sail Loft offers an all year round indoor space for temporary exhibitions, meetings or as a base for school visits.A new exciting programme of activities for all ages is updated regularly.

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Transport Museum Birmingham

Venue Type: 
Transport
Overall Rating: 
0

Extensive collections of buses, and battery electric vehicles. Cafe/Shop/Picnic area. Kids Kabin activities. On event days (bank holidays etc) there are classic bus rides and a miniature steam railway.

The museum is home to over 90 buses. Midland Red, WMPTE blue and cream and the corporation fleets from Birmingham, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton are all represented, plus independent operators such as Harper Brothers, Soudley Valley and Blue Bus of Willington.

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