Students begin their GCSE study in year 9 and study over a two-year period which will lead to full examination in year 10.

Over the duration of the course students will study a range of topics which include living in the UK; democracy at work in the UK; law and justice; power and influence and taking citizenship action.

HOW STUDENTS WILL STUDY

Students will be encouraged to develop a wide range of 'citizenship' skills, such as decision making, evaluation, critical enquiry, presenting their own and others’ arguments, collaborative working and planning practical citizenship actions. These are skills which will be useful to them in many other areas of study, as well as in their daily life and their future employment. This will be achieved through interactive lessons, debates and group work. Students will have the opportunity to plan and carry out practical citizenship projects which will prompt them to evaluate their own performance and analyse which skills they have acquired in the course of their work. It also enables them to develop their interpersonal skills and their ability to work effectively with others.

DEPARTMENT STRENGTHS AND RESOURCES

The success of the Citizenship department stems from our knowledge of the exam board that is used (Edexcel), as a means to ensure that programmes of study and assessments are accurate and relevant. Resources are differentiated and appropriate to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to succeed.

HOW STUDENTS WILL BE ASSESSED

Throughout the course, students will be assessed internally via rigorous standard assessments in order to ensure high levels of progress.  Students will be assessed via two external exams at the end of the course in year 10.

PROGRESSION ROUTES

GCSE Citizenship covers content from areas such as Law, Sociology, Business and Economics, which may help students choosing these subjects at A-Level.  The skills acquired through the study of GCSE Citizenship are transferable to almost any further studies, including English, History and Religious Studies.

More info:

Head of Department:

Mrs C Hartshorne – Head of Citizenship chartshorne@hswv.co.uk

 

Student Quote:

‘I enjoy my Citizenship lessons because it gives me a chance to discuss the things that I see and hear in the media and share my opinion.’

‘Citizenship taught me about the world in general and links to subjects I now study in Sixth Form such as Law.’