Year 9 Curriculum Intention

What are our legal obligations? Citizenship

DfE state:

• DfE Guidance on whole curriculum (December 2014)
• Whole school/national curriculum overall needs to: promote “the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society”. (2014:5)

DfE state that the purpose of Citizenship studies is to:

• “foster pupils’ keen awareness and understanding of democracy, government and how laws are made and upheld” (2014:227).
• It should foster the skills and knowledge required to “explore political and social issues critically, to weight evidence, debate and make reasoned arguments”
• Help students to become “responsible citizens”
• Teach students how to “manage their money well and make sound financial decisions”

DfE attainment target is stated as “pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study” (2014:227).

The DfE advises that the national curriculum for citizenship studies aims to ensure that all pupils gain a “sound knowledge and understanding of how the United Kingdom is governed” (politics, democracy, voting and elections); “the role of law and justice” and how laws are “shaped and enforced”, “develop and interest in, and commitment to, participation in volunteering as well as other forms of responsible activity”; develop capacity for critical thinking and debate.

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KS3 Core Curriculum Knowledge Covered

• Democracy in the UK: how it developed, roles of citizens, Parliament and the monarch
• Operation of parliament: voting, elections, role of political parties
• Liberties of UK citizens and how these are protected
  
• Rules, laws and the justice system (including the role of the police and the operation of courts and tribunals)
• Roles played by public institutions and voluntary groups in society: how citizens work together to
  improve their communities,
• Functions and uses of money, importance of budgeting and managing risk

British Values

• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Democracy
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of difference (different faiths and different beliefs)

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Mutually beneficial curriculum connections

This subject supports English and RE as well as the Humanities, Health and Social Care pathway and Science. Wider reading improves reading ages and thus benefits all disciplines.