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
BeWILDerwood is 50 acres of wild, outdoor treehouse adventure park. Treehouses, zip wires, jungle bridges, Crocklebogs, boat trips, marsh walks and adventure!
BeWILDerwood is a wild and imaginative adventure park with magical treehouses and a hint of intriguing characters, bringing a curious difference to the Norfolk Broads.
Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch is an unusual and fascinating place to visit. This historic site illustrates the rich heritage of the needle and fishing tackle industries.
Lose yourself in this romantic moated manor house, described by David Starkey as 'one of the most beautiful and interesting of English country houses'.
Built nearly 700 years ago, this house has seen many changes and been owned by Medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII and high society Victorians.
The Commandery has exciting stories to tell you about power, greed, war, wealth, romance, death, society and industry.
Step back in time to catch a glimpse of the lively characters that have inhabited this ancient building during the past seven centuries.
This magnificent Norman Cathedral with its sense of awe and wonder is the perfect environment to support work in all areas of the National Curriculum and agreed Religious Education syllabus. Along with Durham Castle the cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This traditional Highland crofting estate is a diverse mix of Scotland?s most beautiful landscapes. It encompasses croft and farm land, woodland, moorland, villages, coastline, saltmarsh, lochs and offshore islands, and offers stunning views across the water to the mountains of Skye and Applecross.
Enjoy the splash of the waterwheel and the sound and smell of grinding corn in this picturesque 19th-century working mill. There is an exhibition on the historical role of the mill and a delightful walkway alongside the mill lade. Schools are welcome by prior appointment. Please allow a minimum of 1 hour for a guided tour which will include a milling demonstration.
There's lots of variety to explore on the Mottistone Estate which stretches from the chalk downs through rolling hedge lined farmland to the sea.
There is a car park and bus stop next to Mottistone Manor Garden which is a good place to start your visit. It's a great place to walk with many well marked paths to choose from and good expanses of open downland to wander freely over.
Framed amid typically spectacular Highland scenery at the head of Loch Shiel with sweeping glens as a backdrop, stands this poignant monument to the final Jacobite Rising.
A Visitor Centre tells the full story of the '45. Come along, take in the view and prepared to be stirred by this tumultuous chapter in Scotland's history which could well have been a global turning point.
Wander through the elegant home of Susanna Shakespeare and her husband, Dr John Hall. Enjoy the luxurious rooms and beautiful decoration of this fascinating house, befitting a wealthy physician of Dr John Hall's status.
Relax in the beautiful gardens and breathe in the fragrant herbs as used by Dr Hall in his remedies.
Highlights at Hall's Croft
This museum is located on the site of the Scottish Archery Centre in North Berwick. The museum is named in honour of the Borders longbow archer Dick Galloway.
Twickenham is home to the England rugby team and its museum celebrates the players' successes.
The World Rugby Museum, in the East Stand of Twickenham Stadium, formerly opened as ‘The Museum of Rugby’ in 1996. It became the World Rugby Museum in 2007.
A stark symbol of power, Chirk Castle was completed in 1310 during the reign of the conquering Edward I to subdue the last princes of Wales. Built on an outcrop above the meeting point of the rivers Dee and Ceiriog, the imposing silhouette of the castle was a brooding statement of English intent in these disputed lands.
Coughton Court has been the home of the Throckmorton family since 1409. It holds a unique place in English history with its close connections to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
Beautiful lakeside park offering, windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, water skiing, wakeboarding, cycle hire, fishing, miniature railway, mini golf and playground! Wow!
There are beginner and improver tuition sessions available for every kind of activity, plus taster days and other options so you can try your hand at several new skills before deciding which to pursue with full gusto!
Dudley Leisure Centre is a modern leisure complex centrally situated in the town of Dudley. Comprising of pools, sports halls, fitness suite, squash courts & rooms, the centre caters for sports, fitness and recreation activities. Our facilities also allow us to cater for meetings, birthday parties & functions.
Gym
A great park with a formal area, plus a wildlife conservation area. It also has a brook, duckpond, bandstand, and playgrounds with separate areas for different ages. Splashpad for kids in the summer. Free to visit.
Enjoy beautiful Stratford from the river with us at Avon Boating.
The Avon winds gently through the town, surrounded on both banks by green parkland and flower filled gardens.
Seasonal pool offering an interactive water feature in the main swim area plus learner pool for kids, plus changing with showers. Tennis, mini golf and playground nearby.
The Abbey Meadow Lido is a heated 40m outdoor pool situated in scenic surrounds on the bank of the river Thames, accessible by boat if you happen to have one, with moorings adjacent.
Leith Hill is the highest point in Southeast England and is set within the beautiful Surrey
Great standard swimming pool but the Tiger Pool comes complete with Octopus slide and interactive water features, waterfalls, squirty fish, water dams and tipping bucket, making it suitable for the whole family.
We are an indoor centre which provides a wide range of activities specifically suited to families - we have two swimming pools (one with flume ride and features), a large sports hall for ball games and racquet sports, and a soft play area called Jungle Junction.
Big park with historical features, plus playground and fitness trail, Abington Park Museum and also features a specific garden for the blind.
Abington Park sits on the site of a medieval village, with some buildings surviving over seven centuries.
Grassy slopes, the lake, historic buildings, old trees and hedges recall Abbey Fields’ past, while the new play area contributes to the modern side with a fully fenced in zone for the little ones to run wild on the equipment.
Adjacent there is also a 25-metre heated indoor pool and outdoor pool in the summer.
Swimming pool featuring a wave machine, giant flume ride, parent and toddler sessions and lane swimming.
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.