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
An educational trip into the sad necessity to rescue animals, with plenty of happy, loved and rehabilitated furry guests to visit with.
HULA Animal Rescue has saved over 31,000 animals since it was founded, and offers an educational trip into the sad necessity to rescue animals, with plenty of happy, loved and rehabilitated furry guests to visit with.
Do something different at this centre for indoor skydiving, surfing, racing, jumping and climbing!
Bodyflight is an excellent place for some active fun, whatever the weather, plus it’s great thrill seeking in a controlled and safe environment.
A premium all weather venue, open 7 days a week with exciting activities suitable for the whole family! Big Rock Climbing Centre offers the best indoor climbing facilities around, including roped climbing walls up to 11m high, multiple low level bouldering areas and a dedicated kids' climbing area.
Over 100 trampolines, a dodgeball court and slam dunk hoops. There is over 22000 square feet of interconnected world class trampolines with state of the art equipment.
Bounce is suitable for kids of 3 and over and for all levels of fitness. There are dedicated sessions for children and mums, plus another for teens.
The game of badminton is celebrated at the National Badminton Museum. The museum is housed at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes.
Mainly encased in brick but still retaining its 14th-century timber roof, this was in turn part of a hospital, a chantry chapel, a public house, and a Georgian barracks, before its basement became a Second World War gas decontamination chamber. The building is within Gravesham's Heritage Quarter and currently exhibits a fascinating insight into the borough's heritage.
A high ropes adventure course involving a series of challenging obstacles set at varying heights above the ground.
You'll find yourself tackling fun obstacles such as rope bridges, scramble nets, swinging logs and balance beams, plus many more!
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!
Try the working period telephones and switchboards. Visit the Victorian Parlour and Schoolroom. Listen to an air raid in the Museum's Anderson Shelter. Make toast in the period kitchen. Visit the street of period shops. Visit the Hall of Transport.
At Puzzlewood you can explore a mile of pathways winding through deep gulley’s of moss covered rocks, over wooden bridges and through fantastic tree and rock formations; all set in 14 acres of ancient woodland.
Indoor real snow skislope in Milton Keynes. Lessons available plus the Wacky Races kiddie sledging tournaments, plus Snocamps for 7 to 15 years old. A great family days out in Buckinghamshire idea.
A unique partnership between the National Trust for Scotland and National Museums Scotland, the museum combines an exhibition building (with shop and cafe) and the historic working farm of Wester Kittochside.
The spectacular Riverside Museum is home to some of the world’s finest cars, bicycles, ship models, trams and locomotives. Interactive displays and the hugely popular historic Glasgow street scene bring the objects and stories to life.
Step back in time and discover Glasgow’s unique history with a visit to the oldest house in the city, built in 1471. It was originally part of a hospital and is one of only four medieval buildings to survive in Glasgow.
A fascinating Victorian garden cemetery adjacent to Glasgow Cathedral.
Cross the bridge from the Cathedral precinct to the Necropolis, a spectacular Victorian cemetery that is now home to many wildlife species. Take time to explore the precinct and get an insight into Glasgow’s long and turbulent history and its medieval roots.
The Cathedral of St Mungo, patron saint of Glasgow, originates from the 13th century and is the finest surviving Gothic building in Scotland the only major cathedral on the Scottish mainland to survive the Reformation.
Mingulay, Berneray and Pabbay are three islands of unrivalled wildness and beauty.
Welcome to Dick Whittington Farm Park
My farm is full of interesting animals, fascinating wildlife and exciting activities! Visit the pets corner and help my farm hands feed the animals or, if you like running around, check out the indoor or outdoor play areas. Kids will have hours of fun in our very large heated Play Barn.
Feed the farm animals, see the miniature Shetland ponies, picnic area and welly walks, zip wire and adventure play fort and dressing up in the manor house. Indoor soft play, cafe and farm shop. Family fun at Oxfordshire Cotswolds historic Witney farmstead.
A sanctuary caring for over 30 donkeys, plus 2 zeedonks, horses, and shetland ponies. There are also ducks and chickens to meet. Free to visit. Carrots available to feed to the animals.
Radcliffe Donkey Sanctuary is a lovely place to take the kids to meet a load of donkeys, each with their own unique personalities and stories.
Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre offers a range of programs, in Gaelic and English, for primary and secondary school students linked to the Curriculum for Excellence. With real-life stories, an opportunity to explore the battlefield and hands on workshops this an excellent trip that will enhance your topic.
Abriachan is a scattered rural community of about 140 people set high above the shores of Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. There are still some active crofts but the majority of inhabitants are employed in Inverness and beyond.
The National Forest Adventure Farm offers exciting indoor fun, outdoor adventure and farm animal experiences.
And in 2014 we became World Record Breakers - by making over 3,300 scarecrows!
Hampden Park, Glasgow, is home to the Scottish Football Museum.
Exhibits date back to the world's very first international game - a 0-0 draw between Scotland and England in 1872.
Other artefacts include the world's oldest national trophy, the Scottish FA Challenge Cup.
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.