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:

Eifionydd

Snowdon's pastoral foothills reach down to the sea
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
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South and west of Beddgelert lies the wooded foothills and mellow farmland known as Eifionydd. The woodlands of the Vale of Maentwrog are internationally important for their wildlife and the coastline has been sculpted into sweeping sandy or shingle bays.

Bwncan Dinas Dinlle is the remains of a hillfort, believed to be 3,000 years old. It was home to the legendary hero Lleu Llaw Gyffes. His story is to be found in the Mabinogion, the ancient Welsh mythology.

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Ambleside Roman Fort

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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The well-marked remains of a 2nd-century fort with large granaries, probably built under Hadrian's rule to guard the Roman road from Brougham to Ravenglass and act as a supply base.

Covering three acres, the fort was probably built during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian (AD 117–38).

However, excavations have suggested the presence, partly beneath the stone buildings, of an earlier fort with a turf wall and timber buildings, constructed possibly in the 90s AD, when Roman control of the Lake District was being consolidated.

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Upnor Castle

Venue Type: 
Castles
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Set in tranquil grounds adjoining a riverside village, this rare example of an Elizabethan artillery fort was begun in 1559 and redeveloped in 1599-1601, to protect warships moored at Chatham dockyards. Despite a brave attempt, it entirely failed to do so in 1667, when the Dutch sailed past it to burn or capture the English fleet at anchor.

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Moseley Old Hall

An atmospheric Elizabethan farmhouse that saved a King
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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Find out about the dramatic story of King Charles II hiding from Cromwell’s troops at Moseley Old Hall after he fled the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

See the bed on which the King slept and the priest hole in which he hid, and hear fascinating stories about what life was like in the 17th-century. You can soak up the atmosphere on one of our popular guided tours.

A variety of 17th-century plants, a fruit orchard and a striking ‘knot’ garden adorn the graceful gardens.

Learning

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Lexden Earthworks and Bluebottle Grove

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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The Colchester earthworks at Lexden and Bluebottle Grove are among the few surviving late Iron Age defences in Britain.

They defended the west side of pre-Roman Colchester, Camulodunum, which was occupied by the Iron Age Catuvellauni and their leader Cunobelin from about AD 10, and before that by the Trinovantes.

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Brean Down

A natural pier with dramatic cliffs and Victorian fort
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
Overall Rating: 
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Brean Down is a wonderful location for a day out in Somerset. Enjoy relaxing on the beach at the foot of the Down, building sandcastles and visiting the Cove Café for a seaside treat.

Venture to the top of the Down and take the exhilarating 1.5 mile walk along Somerset’s greatest natural pier.

The Down stands 97m high and the views from the top are truly spectacular, looking out over the Bristol Channel towards south Wales and over the Somerset Levels.

Uncover the secrets of Brean Down as you discover the site of a Roman temple and explore the Palmerston Fort.

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Bow Bridge

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
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This narrow 15th century stone bridge across Mill Beck carried an old packhorse route to nearby Furness Abbey.

Bow Bridge was built in the fifteenth century from the same plentiful supply of red sandstone and grey limestone as Furness Abbey, which dates back to the 1120s.

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Stratford Town Walk

Venue Type: 
Tours
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Discover Stratford upon Avon and its fascinating relationship with William Shakespeare. Join the award winning daily town walk! Informative, interesting and entertaining - Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun at 11am. Fri, Sat, Sun at 2pm.

Guided walks around historic Stratford upon Avon, 365 days a year with local professional guides. Explore Stratford, its history, attractions, and fascinating relationship with William Shakespeare. 

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Bramber Castle

Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
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The remains of a Norman castle which stands on the edge of the village of Bramber, on a high natural knoll overlooking the River Adur. Founded by William de Braose c. 1075.

Bramber Castle was founded by William de Braose as a defensive and administrative centre for Bramber, one of the six administrative regions – each of which was controlled by a castle – into which Sussex was divided following the Norman Conquest.

It was held almost continually by de Braose and his descendants from its foundation by 1073 until 1450. 

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Clun Castle

Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
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The dramatic riverside ruins and extensive earthworks of a Welsh Border castle, its tall 13th century keep unusually set on the side of its mound.

Information panels tell the story of the castle and the nearby town.

History

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