Citizenship in the Curriculum at KS3 Year 7 Curriculum Plan

Focus: Citizens of the School and the wider school community a) rights, responsibilities, relationships within the school community

b) organisation and operation of the school

c) aspects of the school community that will foster understanding of politics and society in the wider community.

Topic/Key Question

/ CTZ.
Curric.

Link

/

Citizenship/PSHE

( +School Induction Programme) /

Form Time

/ Contribution of Curriculum Subjects /

‘Big Events’/ Active participation

Citizenship – what’s it all about? / 1
2c / Focus: Building on KS2,
a.  Activities to extend pupils’ understanding of the concept of ‘citizens’ and ‘citizenship’
b.  Provide an overview of the main elements of the citizenship curriculum
Citizens of the school community.
Our ideal school: What would it be like? / 2b,c
(1h) /

Focus: Building on KS2

a.  With provided stimulus, encourage

pupils to reflect on those things that

would make an ideal school.

b. Encourage pupils to form their own
views and opinions and express
them confidently. /

English/Literacy

Art and Design -possibly
Our school: What’s it like?
Its appearance
& development
over time.
The community
of our school
Myself and others in the school community
Our rights and
responsibilities
What, why and how we learn. / 1b
2a,c
3a
1a
2a,c /

Focus

Detailed examination of the school and the school community of which they are citizens.
a.  physical appearance and evolution (if an old school)
b.  develop sense of belonging, of being part of a tradition; pride in past achievements i.e. their school inheritance

Focus

a.  surveys to identify the school community (adults and pupils); similarity and diversity in the school population
b.  consideration through role play, problem solving activities etc of issues related to diversity in the school community
c.  exploration of personal qualities, friendship, group dynamics etc (PHSE)
d.  negotiation of rights and responsibilities in the school eg UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and its interpretation in the school context; pupil/teacher rights; school/pupil charters
e.  opportunity to consider the significance of the school curriculum in the context of citizenship.
f.  Opportunity to introduce health/drugs education here
g.  explore pupils’ own ideas about how they learn. / Geography – mapping the school.
ICT opportunity (digital camera/video)
History – as part of its introductory course for new pupils. (Chronology/change over time – use the school history as the medium)
R.E. – issues relating to fairness, respect; religious and cultural diversity
Drama – e.g. research and role play issues such as bullying
English/Literacy – possibility of joint project with CTZ/PSHE lessons – speaking and listening, debate, writing. / Project to produce introductory video of the school for Year 6
(3b,c)
Year 7
Friendship Day
(3b,c)
Health Education Day
(3b,c)
Who rules the school?
How the school community is ‘governed’ and organised.
Where does the money come from and how is it spent? Who decides?
What happens when things go wrong? /
1d
1e
2a,b
1c
1g
2b
3a /

Focus

a) familiarisation of new pupils with
how the school functions and
Introduction to the concept of
‘government’ operating in a familiar
context, also that of ‘power’ and
‘authority’.
b) Opportunity to construct
questionnaires and carry out
interviews with the HDT and/or
other members of SMT, Governors,
Business Manger and Bursar to
understand the organisation of the
school; their roles & responsibilities
c) Conflict in the school community –
where does it come from? How can
it be resolved fairly? Who makes the
decisions?
d) Develop understanding, through
role play, simulation, circle time, of
the dynamics involved in resolving
conflict fairly using situations that
arise in school.
e)  Develop skills of controlled
argument and discussion. / History will support this understanding

English may support with questionnaire construction.

Maths/Numeracy

English/Literacy – discursive speaking and writing / Development of school councils; form councils and their role in school
(3 b)
The School Community
What does the school provide for its citizens?
What can its citizens do for the school?
What kind of citizen are you? / 3b /

Focus

a)  Begin to draw together and expand on aspects of previous work. (Link with the ‘Guardian’ Ideal School competition)
b)  Begin to develop sense of ‘responsible citizenship’ within the context of the school community and recognition of personal achievement and contribution (including academic achievement). / Science/Environmental Studies / SchoolCommunity Project
e.g.Litter Campaign,
‘School in Bloom’ project
(3b,c)
The wider school community
Are all school communities like ours? /
1b,i
2a,b,c
3b /

Focus

a) Opportunity to develop a link with
another school globally and/ or
locally (e.g. school of different type
and community). Pupils can
establish email links and carry out
their own investigations by
exchanging questionnaires.
Opportunity also for establishing
video-conferencing links.
b) Identify possible project(s) with
partner primary school(s)
c)  Link to form basis for future
development in Years 8,9 and
possibly into KS4. /

ICT – email/video conferencing

MFL – link with school in France/Germany/Spain / Global Linking Project
Year 6/7 Forum/Council.
Road Safety, Safety on Buses Project
(3b,c)
How is our real school different from our ideal school?
Why is it different?
What can we do about it? / 2a /

Focus

a)  Reflection and comparison of ideal with reality.
b)  Consider and identify reasons for
differences
c)  Encourage understanding and
recognition of what is possible within
the constraints placed on the school
community.
d)  Identify areas of potential pupil action and support the development of personal or group action plans. / English/Literacy – e.g. use knowledge and understanding gained in Citizenship lessons to form subject of presentations, debates, writing genres of various kinds.
From the school to the local community:
What do our neighbours in the community think of us?
What do we do for them?
What do the papers say about us?
The school and the local press. / 2a
1h
2c /

Focus

a)  Establish link between this year’s work and Year 8 that will focus on the local community.
b)  Encourage appreciation that the
school community is part of a wider
community and that pupils have
rights but also responsibilities
beyond school as do members of
the wider community.
c)  Carry out surveys in the local
community to assess perceptions of
the school and its community in the
immediate locality. Reflect on
outcomes and develop strategies for
improvement.
d)  Identify ways in which the school and
its citizens serve the local
community. Reflect on how this
could be improved/developed in the
future.
(This may form the basis for a
community project in Year 8)
e)  Possibly identify and plan a charity
Project for Year 7

Focus

a)  Introduce awareness of the influence of the media. Begin to develop critical
thinking in relation to the media.
b)  Study examples of how the local press
reports events or incidents.
c)  Reach conclusions about the general attitude of the local press to the school.
d)  Consider the accuracy of its reporting especially when commenting on a controversial subject or event. /

English/Literacy

/ lan fundraising for a local Charity Appeal
(3b,c)
Review and Self-Evaluation of Progress in Citizenship / 3c / Focus
a) Self assessment against provided
criteria and opportunity for self
expression and reflection.
b) Contribution to teacher assessment
and reporting process.

1