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

Discover the importance of the rural carpenter to the local community in the days before mass-produced goods, with displays of early tools and an audiovisual presentation. See a craftsman working in wood; relax in a Victorian-style garden; view early workshop machinery.

Founded in 1871, the Falconer Museum is one of the oldest in the district. The museum houses a wealth of Moray’s heritage and features displays on local history, social history, geology and archaeology.

Elgin Museum is owned and managed by The Moray Society and is Scotland’s oldest independent museum. It is housed in a Grade A listed building, designed as a museum by local architect Thomas Mackenzie, and built in the Italianate style in the golden local sandstone. It opened in 1843. 

A local museum with material relating to the social and natural history of the town

A local museum with material relating to the social and natural history of the town and immediate district. Collections include scientific instruments which belonged to the astronomer James Ferguson and the natural history collection of Thomas Edward.

Gateway to Royal Deeside

Learn about the history of Banchory and its most famous son, musician and composer, J. Scott Skinner, the "Strathspey King".

In our permanent collection you will also see:

Nestling beneath Stirling Castle, in the King’s Park, the ancient hunting grounds of the Stuart monarchs, is the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum.

Museum relating to the history of the region. Includes geneaological resources, documentation on local issues, maps and information relating to the Ross of Mull.

Set in a renovated cottage next to a 17th Century corn mill in the village of Bunessan with parking for up to 6 cars and disabled access.

Oban War & Peace Museum contains a fascinating collection of artefacts and photographs depicting the rich cultural history of the busy port town and its people.

This award-winning museum is situated in the conservation village of Port Charlotte. The exhibitions illustrate life and work on the island from pre-historic times to the early part of the 20th century, together with items from the many shipwrecks found around Islay’s shores.

Small museum crammed with informtation about the history of Mull and its people – geology, standing stones, castles, Spanish Armada galleon, crofting emigrants, schools and World War II naval base. Open Easter to October. Library and archive by appointment. 

The Collection tells the story of working and domestic life in the Highlands and Islands

Miss Hope MacDougall, daughter, sister and aunt to three successive chiefs of the Clan MacDougall started her collection with a single wooden spoon in the 1950s and amassed thousands of items before her death in 1998.

A stunning ecologically friendly building, opened in March 2007, housing a museum charting island life throughout the ages

Experience Gaelic culture at the award winning Lismore Gaelic Heritage Centre’s museum, library and historical archive.

Come visit our fascinating new exhibition about the Life and Work of the Women on Lismore throughout the ages, which opens on the 29th of March 2015.

We have a unique gift shop with local crafts & a café with beautiful panoramic views. Free WiFi.

Kilmartin Glen, in the heart of Mid Argyll, is one of Scotland’s richest prehistoric landscapes. Over 800 historic monuments, cairns, standing stones, stone circles and rock art dating back over 5000 years have been recorded within this area.

Witness History at Scotland's Living 19th Century Prison

Experience the atmosphere, brought vividly to life by the warders,matron and prisoners as you wander through this unique location. Interest and excitement for all ages.

The Trust has a comprehensive range of photographs and artefacts from Grangemouth's past

The Trust has a comprehensive range of photographs and artefacts from Grangemouth’s past. There is a 12 × 8 ft model of Grangemouth Airport with facts and books of World War II. Slide shows are arranged by the Trust historian for local organisations.

Castle House Museum, a B-listed building, displays the story of Cowal through geology, archaeology and artefacts

Castle House Museum, a B-listed building, displays the story of Cowal through geology, archaeology, Celts and clans. There are special displays of Clyde steamers and the Clyde in two World Wars. Four rooms, parlour, kitchen, study and nursery show life in Victorian times. Video area. Full disabled access.

A charming, small museum with a warm welcome

A charming, small museum with a warm welcome. Opened in 1943 and run entirely by volunteers, the original museum was known as the Cathedral Museum and was housed in the Deans House (built in 1624). Now extending into 8 small rooms, the museum has an eclectic mix of artefacts relating to the history of Dunblane and its Cathedral.

Museum holds material pertaining to local social, industrial and natural history along with geology and much, much more

Campbeltown Museum offers a unique insight into Campbeltown’s ancient and more modern past. With a fascinating and nationally important Archaeological Collection, the museum describes the creation of the natural landscape of Kintyre and how its first peoples came to Kintyre to farm the area’s fertile lands.

Callendar House dates from the 14th century. It is set in the nationally-important historic designed landscape of Callendar Park, which also contains a section of the Antonine Wall World Heritage Site.

Experience the archaeology, history and natural history of the Island in the Bute Museum

Bute Museum is an independently run museum where visitors can explore the Natural and Historical Heritage of the Isle of Bute. The History & Archaeology Gallery has displays covering aspects of Bute's History from Mesolithic and Neolithic times through to the closing years of the 20th century. The Natural History Gallery allows visitors to explore the geology, plants, animals and birds

One of the most important examples of modernist architecture in Scotland

St Peter’s seminary, built to train priests on a windy hillside west of Glasgow following the burning down of its predecessor, opened in 1966 and closed in 1980. It is the most remarkable modern ruin in Britain and one of the best of any time. It is something to do with the combination of intended and accidental drama, the contest of forces of nature and of human creation and destruction.

Full steam ahead for great family fun

This hidden gem, only 40 minutes from Glasgow and Edinburgh, is located in the historic town of Bo’ness.

Cydebank Museum and Art Gallery is situated beside the now demolished John Brown shipyard where many of the famous liners of the Clyde were built. The Museum and Art Gallery showcases an exciting temporary exhibition programme featuring fine art and touring exhibitions and has small permanent displays relating to the shipbuilding industry and the Singer Sewing Machine Collection.

On the upper floor of the town’s library, this small local museum illustrates the history of Kilsyth from the 17th to 20th centuries. Of particular note to researchers is the map and photographic archive. There are also microfilm readers with data from local censuses, registers and other sources. 

The museum is based in historic buildings that were once part of the Duke of Hamilton's estate

Low Parks Museum is housed in beautiful and historically significant buildings which were once part of the Duke of Hamilton’s estate. The 18th century Assembly Room, with its original plasterwork and musicians’ gallery, forms a striking centrepiece to the buildings.

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