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:
Association for Citizenship Teaching
National Centre for Citizenship and the Law (NCCL)
Inclusion: NASEN
Thought of visiting?
The Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green
National Trust Museum of Childhood, Sudbury, Derbyshire
Laser-gaming is a live combat entertainment experience using infra-red gaming guns for eight year olds and up.
The laser-guns use a harmless infra-red beam, similar to a TV remote, that tags sensors worn by each player. They're harmless infra red guns, built tough, with realistic sound effects, realistic weights and real scopes!
Oriel y Parc Visitor Centre and Gallery is located in St David's, Britain's smallest city, and is in the UK's only truly coastal National Park.
Our gallery, home to Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales in Pembrokeshire, displays works of art from the national collection, with exhibitions drawing inspiration from Pembrokeshire’s incredible landscapes.
Our aim is to enable young people to develop through taking part in outdoor activities in a fun and safe environment. This simple aim has led us to develop our Centre that rivals commercially run Centres in terms of both facilities and activity provision.
As we are a charity we are able to maintain excellent value for money.
See a bus so old it was pulled along the street by horses. Get behind the driver's seat of our tube train simulator, experience journeys of a bygone era. Your only problem will be trying to fit it all in!
School Trips
Opened in 1865 the Watercress Line connected rural Hampshire to the heart fo London by rail. It got its name from the fresh produce it carried to the city making the movement of fresh produce in bulk a realistic possibility allowing urbanisation and fuelling the Industrial Revolution.
How big is a Penny Farthing's wheel? And just how uncomfortable were those early bikes compared with today's hi-tech versions? Journey through the lanes of cycle history and see bicycles from 1819, such as the Hobby Horse, Boneshakers and Penny Farthings, up to the most modern Carbon Fibre machines of today.
Larne Museum and Arts Centre is situated in the heart of Larne and is the operational centre for all Larne Borough Council Arts, Heritage and Civic events.
Our primary focus is to offer a wide range of opportunities in the outdoors to young people and adults (primarily for the 13 to 19 year olds but some are good for as young as 8) across the area through a series of development courses and through our club membership.
Explore the greatest collection of artillery in the UK and discover their fascinating history, and learn about the roles of Gunners. Free entry for kids under 4 years old.
There is plenty to see and find out in a variety of different displays and exhibits, some of which are audiovisual. There are also clearly written information panels.
Brings together an award winning archaeology museum and one of the region's premier art galleries, the Usher Gallery, in the heart of historic Lincoln. Play at The Collection is an exciting free activity centre for younger visitors which encourages learning through play!
Our collections have outstanding collections in the fields of archives, art, science and technology, ethnography, archaeology, military and social history, maritime history and natural sciences. Our art, natural science, archives and science and industry collections have been awarded Designated status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in recognition of their national importance.
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum is the largest tennis museum in the world. The museum was inaugurated at The Championships centenary event in 1977. Exhibits from as far back as 1555 form part of a huge collection of artefacts from the days of real tennis to the modern game.
Littledean Jail is not just a prison. It is by far Europe's largest true crime, politically incorrect, bizarre, diverse museum and visitor attraction.
Welcome to Littledean Jail, a former house of correction, police station and courthouse is the county’s most talked about, most unorthodox, not to be missed historical visitor attraction set in the Royal Forest of Dean.
Your Mission: infiltrate the ship and stop the terrorists from launching the missile! The mission ends with an adrenalin pumping escape, you and your friends will feel like real spies!
Your Mission: infiltrate the ship and stop the terrorists from launching the missile! The mission ends with an adrenalin pumping escape, you and your friends will feel like real spies!
Your Mission: infiltrate the ship and stop the terrorists from launching the missile! The mission ends with an adrenalin pumping escape, you and your friends will feel like real spies!
An outdoor activity centre set on the River Thames in Marlow. We offer both land and water activities for all the family. As a charity we try to provide a real community hub that everyone can experience outdoor activities for low cost.
Longridge Activity Centre offers a range of both land and water activities including:
Discover Basingstoke and Deane's rich archaeological heritage including the unusual Iron Age burial found at Viables, the Roman burial from Winklebury and reconstructions of nationally important Saxon buildings at Cowderys Down.
Longrigg is an educational study and adventure centre in Cumbria. Our aim is to provide rewarding outdoor experiences for young people and adults.
We offer a wide range of outdoor activities including Duke of Edinburgh and Mountain Training Leadership courses.
Your programme might include a variety of the following :
Diss Museum is housed in the historic Shambles building on Diss Market place. A small but perfectly-formed museum, it hosts changing exhibitions about Diss and nearby villages, packed with local interest.
Originally a tribal centre of the Iron Age Atrebates, Silchester became the large and important Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum. Unlike most Roman towns, it was never re-occupied or built over after its abandonment in the 5th century, so archaeological investigations give an unusually complete picture of its development.
The Harrington Aviation Museums comprise the Carpetbagger Aviation and Secret War Museum and the Northamptonshire Aviation Society Museum.
These museums offer a rare look at life on this Top Secret base of the 801st/492nd American Eighth Air Force Bombardment Group during World War 2.
Perfect for those interested in locomotives and kids who just want to see something fun and different. Running on coal fired steam and diesel engines, you'll enjoy your ride, taking in all the sights as you head down the tracks.
A great range of activities for over 8s, it's very far from just karting! Fantastic memory material for kids and a good bonding experience for the family doing new stuff together.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.