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 (NCCL)

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

Venues for this Curriculum

Nestled on the beach in an old smuggler’s cove, Boggle Hole is the perfect location for a school trip. Our programmes here will explore rock pools, look for dinosaur remains and learn about the smugglers who once called this area home. You may even get a chance to spot the ever-elusive Boggle from which this fantastic property gets its name…

Situated close to the city centre, Edgbaston Reservoir is a site of importance for nature conservation.

Near the public library in a gallery on the first floor of the Town Hall in Fishguard is to be found a little-known and remarkable tapestry depicting the last ever invasion of the United Kingdom.

A charming Georgian building, built as a workhouse in 1764, now filled with a rich variety of displays and a regular and varied exhibitions programme.

Education

To learn more about the programme or to discuss your requirements please contact Rebecca Parrant.

The Red Mount is the highest point of The Walks offering elevated view points of the landscape from the structure itself and from the mound which partially surrounds it. 

The structure is unique and its importance is reflected in its status as a Scheduled Ancient monument/Grade 1 listed building.

Leicesershire's Medieval Manor House

Based in a Medieval Manor House dating back to 1280, the house has a fascinating history and was owned by one of the Gunpowder Plotters!

One of Britain's greatest industrial heritage sites, showing how a complete industrial community lived

Quarry Bank overflows with the atmosphere of the Industrial Revolution.

A 280 acre paradise of sea cliffs, coastal limestone downland, meadows, hedgerows and woods.

Durlston Country Park, National Nature Reserve and Castle is a mile from Swanage in Dorset. This countryside paradise has stupendous views, the Great Globe (a huge recreation of planet Earth), a variety of walks and fascinating geology - there's always something new to see and do.

Durlston Castle is an extraordinary Victorian building, which with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and many others, took 8 years to transform, to provide a unique and beautiful facility for visitors to Durlston and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

Bushmead Priory is a rare survival of the complete refectory of an Augustinian priory, with a fine timber roof and notable 14th century wall paintings.

There is a small permanent exhibition located on the first floor of the Priory, which details the history of the site.

Originally home to the Lindisfarne Gospels and the site of grisly Viking attacks, a visit to Lindisfarne Priory is a great day out in Northumberland. Sitting offshore on Holy Island and reached by a causeway at low tide, the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful views from the priory make a visit here well worth the effort.

Experience over 100 years of the Army in the Air

The Museum of Army Flying is home to a unique collection of military aviation history, one of both international and national importance. We give a fascinating and imaginative glimpse of “soldiers in the air” and life on the Home Front.

Trace the history of drinking water, from the time of cave dwellers to present day, through a number of great displays and wonderful working engines. A number of Open Days in Steam throughout the year.

Based in a Victorian pumping station that served Hereford for 120 years, the museum tells the story of drinking water throughout the ages through a number of high quality displays.

An underground wonderland of stalactites, stalagmites, rocks, minerals and fossils. Home to Blue John Stone. The tour takes you to see Aladdin's Cave, Fairyland and the Dream Cave. The most famous formation is "The Stork". Events include an Easter Egg Hunt and at Christmas "Carols by Candlelight".

Thetford Warren Lodge was probably built around 1400 by the Prior of Thetford; this defensible lodge protected warreners and hunting parties against armed poachers. Much later used by the local gamekeepers who harvested rabbits here.

This interesting lodge was probably built around 1400 by the prior of Our Lady’s Priory, Thetford.

The stunning panoramic views from the top of Clifford’s Tower, out over the historic city of York, makes it one of the most popular attractions in Yorkshire.

Set on a tall mound in the heart of Old York, this imposing tower is almost all that remains of York Castle, which was originally built by William the Conqueror.

The most modern and spine-chilling of English Heritage’s properties, the York Cold War Bunker uncovers the secret history of Britain’s Cold War. Enter the blast-proof doors and investigate the more unusual side of York’s heritage.

In active service from the 1960s–1990s the bunker was designed as a nerve-centre to monitor fall-out in the event of a nuclear attack.

Tenpin bowling with cosmic effects and gutter guards with bowling ramps for the small ones. A great activity.

Learn about the remarkable history of the Washington family as our experienced and friendly guides take you on a tour through the history of the Tudor and Georgian house and furnishings. Hear of the events, both fortunate and disastrous, that led George Washington’s ancestor to leave England for a new life abroad.

Old Rectory Farm has been fully restored and operates as a demonstration farm, showing city dwellers traditional methods of farming. animals kept at the farm include Jersey cattle, pigs, goats, ponies, ducks, chickens and geese. 

Sheldon Country Park covers an area of just over 300 acres, comprising open grassland, wetlands, old hedgerows and some mature woodland.

Get your wellies on then!

One of the UK's largest urban Nature Reserves at a whopping 247 acres including a wide range of habitats great for exploring and nature spotting: woodlands, grasslands, heath land and wetlands plus way marked Nature and Sculpture Trails if you’re nervous about getting lost… given the size of the place a reasonable concern!

We offer 10 miles of heritage railway running through the beautiful scenery of South Nottinghamshire and North-West Leicestershire. We are also home to static displays, a large Miniature Railway, Model Railways, Road Transport Collection and Play Area, with a Cafe and Gift Shop as well.

The striking and picturesque moated castle of Nunney was built in the 1370s by Sir John de la Mere, a local knight who was beginning to enjoy royal favour.

Nene Valley Railway is a heritage railway that offers a family day out but is no mere manufactured visitor attraction as the preserved railway uses part of the original London and North Western line from Northamptonshire into the Cathederal city of Peterborough, encompassing the stations of Yarwell, Wansford, Ferry Meadows (Nene Park) and Orton Mere.

A fearsome fortress

Muster your courage and explore Framlingham Castle's towering walls behind which Mary Tudor took refuge.

Discover Framlingham Castle's vast and colourful past as it became home to some of the most powerful people in Tudor England, an Elizabethan prison for the troubled, and a sanctuary for the poor in the 17th century.

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