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
HMS Victory is the Royal Navy's most famous warship. Best known for her role in the Battle of Trafalgar, the Victory currently has a dual role as the Flagship of the First Sea Lord and as a living museum to the Georgian Navy.
Come visit HMS Victory and experience...
With its dramatic clifftop setting, Robert Adam architecture, fascinating history and beautiful surroundings, it's easy to see why Culzean Castle is one of Scotland?s most popular visitor attractions.
A rare gem of a Jacobean country house, Chastleton House was built between 1607 and 1612 by a prosperous wool merchant as an impressive statement of wealth and power.
Owned by the same increasingly impoverished family until 1991, the house remained essentially unchanged for nearly 400 years as the interiors and contents gradually succumbed to the ravages of time.
The Folly Farm Centre is an environmental learning centre in the heart of the Chew Valley. Set in Avon Wildlife Trust's 250-acre nature reserve, it is an inspirational place to pick up new skills, learn and engage with an exciting and diverse programme of courses.
An outdoor activity centre and campsite, with a dedicated Indoor Climbing Centre. We have climbing facilities for ages 3 year and upwards, dedicated kids’ clubs and sessions and run regular Bushcraft and adventure activities using our low ropes course and trails.
Our huge site has plenty of woodland and parkland for you to explore and play in.
At Queen Elizabeth Country Park (voted the nation's favourite country park) you can:
Education
Enjoy a day out in North Devon experiencing wildlife from around the world by visiting Exmoor Zoo! From the creepy crawlies of the Amazon to the wobbly wallaby joeys of Australia there are plenty of hands on activities with our animals for you to take part in.
Cissbury Ring, just north of the coastal town of Worthing, is one of the jewels in the crown of the new South Downs National Park. It's the largest hill fort in Sussex and has a history dating back over 5,000 years.
Durham Coast is a wonderful place for walkers and for those who want to enjoy the scenery from the cliff top paths.
The magnesian limestone that underlies this area has given rise to a spectacular landscape of cream-coloured cliffs intersected by steep-sided wooded valleys, or gills.
From Trewavas in the east to Trenow in the west the characters of each area are as different as their histories; industrial heritage sites, wild and rocky cliffs, archaeological treats, and tiny wind-harassed agricultural coastal fields.
Enchanted wooded parkland, sweeping gardens and a house with a surprise, Dudmaston is something unexpected in the Shropshire countryside. A much loved home for over 875 years you will find the family rooms scattered with photos and perhaps an odd pair of shoes or two peeping out from under a table. The unexpected galleries create a total contrast, with their formal, crisp lines.
Built on the site of a medieval priory, Nostell has been the home of the Winn family for 300 years. Commissioned by Sir Rowland Winn in 1733, James Paine built the house. Later additions by Robert Adam created exceptional interiors.
The gorge is an amazing place to visit at any time of the year. The wildlife, river, plants and trees provide a stunning show each and every day.
Dippers and wagtails can be seen flying low over the river, while woodland birds can be spotted darting about in the trees.
Located halfway between Orkney and Shetland, Fair Isle is one of Britain’s most remote inhabited islands.
Drovers is a hidden estate nestling in the undulating hills and valleys of the South Downs. Here you can step back to a timeless rural life, set amidst shady woodland and rolling ancient pastures, punctuated by traditional flint cottages and barns. It provides an insight into traditional management which has formed the working landscape that we see today.
Ide Hill is 33.5 acres of semi-natural woodland that lies on the side of the Greensand Ridge. The area is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its abundant wildlife.
Steeped in nearly 300 years of history, this eighteen-century garden is a green oasis in the heart of Surrey within easy reach of London.
Carnewas has become one of the most popular destinations on the north Cornish coast because of the spectacular cliff-top view of sea stacks stretching across Bedruthan beach (not Trust-owned).
Suspended almost 100 ft (30 m) above sea level, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge was first erected by salmon fishermen 350 years ago. Today it is a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of thrill-seekers (and birdwatchers!) to the North Coast every year.
Harting Down nature reserve in West Sussex is one of the largest areas of ancient chalk downland cared for by us. A tapestry of pristine downland blends beautifully with scattered scrub and woodland.
In the beautiful Churnet valley sits Hawksmoor. The ancient woodland is an excellent place to spot green woodpeckers, spotted flycatchers and ravens. The wild flowers and archaeology of Gibriddingt Wood are so special that they have attracted artists and photographers for many years.
Almondell & Calderwood Country Park is tucked out of sight in the valley of the River Almond and stretching for 1.5 miles between Broxburn and East Calder, Almondell & Calderwood Country Park is probably the best kept secret in West Lothian!
Hydon's Ball is one of our earliest acquisitions and is a memorial to one of our co-founders, Octavia Hill, who died in 1912. It’s one of the highest points in Surrey and the steep, wooded, south-facing slope commands magnificent views across the surrounding countryside towards the Sussex border.
Huge park offering lakes, meadows and rivers for exploration, plus a multi activity centre and adventure playground. Incorporates a proper 9 hole golf course please note not crazy or mini golf though beginners welcome.
Discover why the locals love this place so much by exploring this tranquil site along its network of paths, which wind their way up through the woodland. Once at the top, relax and take in the wonderful view to the south over the Weald of Kent.
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.