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      • Workshops >
        • Social media and citizenship teaching
        • Engaging young people with democracy and Parliaments
        • 'Comic life'- citizenship through digital story-telling
        • Harnessing digital technologies in citizenship teaching
        • Using Apple-specific technology successfully in teaching
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      • Promoting Values and Citizenship through Human Rights Education
      • Enabling Student Voice in the Classroom
      • Campaign! Make an impact
      • Promoting citizenship and values education in primary schools facing challenging socio-economic circumstances: an exploratory pilot
      • Beyond Sectarianism - new thinking for a new generation
      • Meeting the cross curricular challenge
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Citizenship Education in England

Citizenship aims to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public and democratic life. Citizenship encourages students to take an interest in political and social issues and to engage in discussion and debate. Pupils learn about politics, laws, justice, rights and democracy. They work together and learn to play an active role in the life of their schools, neighbourhoods and communities as active and informed citizens.
Citizenship is a statutory National Curriculum foundation subject in secondary schools in England. It was introduced in 2002 following the recommendations of Bernard Crick and an Advisory Group which looked into the Teaching of Citizenship and Democracy in schools. Schools are required to address the National Curriculum programmes of study which set out what must be taught at key stages 3 and 4 for 11-16 year olds. The National Curriculum was revised in 2013 and reformed programmes of study were introduced in 2014.
In primary education (age 5-11) there is a joint non-statutory framework for Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Citizenship education. This has been in place since 2000.
GCSE Citizenship Studies qualifications are available to recognise pupil's attainment in the subject. Pupils study all the key areas of the subject including: politics, democracy, government, law, human rights, equality and diversity. The GCSE qualification requires students to complete an active citizenship project where they investigate, campaign and take action on issues of concern to them in their communities and wider society.
The Department for Education is currently reviewing the curriculum and assessment in schools and changes are expected within the next few years.

Organisations supporting Citizenship Education

  • Association for Teaching Citizenship (ACT)  is the membership association for teachers and others working on Citizenship education
  • ​​Young Citizens is a leading charity working to promote and support Citizenship education 
  • ​Department for Education (DfE) is the ministerial department charged with citizenship education 
  • ​National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) has provided some of the latest Citizenship research and published CELS – the largest and longest running study on the impact of citizenship education on young people
  • Ofsted is the school inspection agency in England and provides regular reports on the quality of Citizenship education
  • UK Parliament works to engage students and teachers in education about parliament and offers a range of training and teaching materials
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  • About
    • Strategy Group and Terms of Reference
    • Five Nations Network Management Team
    • Contact us
    • Five Nations Network Evaluation
    • Funding and support
  • Conferences
    • Edinburgh [2025] >
      • Guest Speakers and Session Resources 2025
    • London [2024] >
      • Guest Speakers and Session Resources 2024
    • Dublin [2023] >
      • Guest Speakers and Session Resources 2023
    • Cardiff [2022] >
      • Keynote and session resources 2022
    • Online [2021] >
      • Keynote and session resources 2021
    • Belfast [2020] >
      • Keynote and session resources
      • Photo Gallery
    • Glasgow [2019] >
      • Keynote and session resources 2019
    • London [2018] >
      • Keynote and session resources 2018
    • Dublin [2017] >
      • Workshop and seminar resources 2017
      • Guest and plenary speakers 2017
    • Cardiff [2015] >
      • Seminar resources 2015
      • Keynote speakers 2015
    • Belfast [2014] >
      • Keynote speakers 2014
      • Seminar resources 2014
      • Recommended readings 2014
    • Edinburgh [2013] >
      • Speakers and presentations
      • Workshop Resources
      • Small-Scale Research Initiative Marketplace
    • Reading [2012] >
      • Workshops >
        • Social media and citizenship teaching
        • Engaging young people with democracy and Parliaments
        • 'Comic life'- citizenship through digital story-telling
        • Harnessing digital technologies in citizenship teaching
        • Using Apple-specific technology successfully in teaching
      • Guest speakers
    • Previous conferences [2000-2011]
  • Publications
  • Funded Projects
    • FNDPs 2019-20
    • FNDPs 2017-18
    • FNDPs 2016-17
    • FNDPs 2015-16
    • Completed SSRIs >
      • Promoting Values and Citizenship through Human Rights Education
      • Enabling Student Voice in the Classroom
      • Campaign! Make an impact
      • Promoting citizenship and values education in primary schools facing challenging socio-economic circumstances: an exploratory pilot
      • Beyond Sectarianism - new thinking for a new generation
      • Meeting the cross curricular challenge
    • SSRI Awards >
      • 2014 Awards
      • 2013 Awards
      • 2012 Awards
      • 2011 Awards
      • 2010 Awards
  • Citizenship
    • England
    • Ireland
    • Northern Ireland
    • Scotland
    • Wales
  • News
    • Five Nations Network News
    • Five Nations Network Blogs