GEOGRAPHY CITIZENSHIP AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE PRIMARY CURRICULUM
The statutory and explicit references to citizenship and sustainable development within the new national curriculum for geography, which becomes a statutory requirement from 1 September 2000 are:
KS1
“3e recognise how places are linked to other parts of the world (this provides the basis for pupils’ understanding global citizenship in later key stages)”
“5a recognise changes in the environment”
5b recognise how the environment can be improved and sustained”
KS2
“3g recognise how places fit within a wider geographical context and are interdependent (this provides the basis for pupils’ understanding global citizenship in key stage 3”
“5a recognise how people can improve the environment or damage it, and how decisions about places and environments affect the future quality of people’s lives”
“5b recognise how and why people may seek to manage environments sustainably, and to identify opportunities for their own involvement”
Global citizenship is where geography has a very important part to play, not least in helping students to understand the international dimension. There is a strong link between citizenship and education for sustainable development. A recent publication from the Geography Advisers Information Network (GAIN) argues that an education in the future must empower tomorrow’s adults to:
· participate individually and collectively in bringing about a better world (global citizenship)
· know about places and processes, understand them and engage with the increasingly connected world (global understanding)
· protect environments and contribute to a sustainable world (environmental responsibility)
and that the distinctive contribution of geography lies in within this area of global understanding, global citizenship and environmental responsibility.
Geography, explored through an enquiry approach, is well placed to provide opportunities for students to encounter real situations across a range of scales, local to global, which require the active acquisition of knowledge and understanding, active participation and personal responses. Figures 1 and 2 exemplify these opportunities through a Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 geography enquiry. Several of the QCA geography units make specific reference to their links with education for citizenship and sustainable development.
Bibliography
Grimwade K et al Geography and the New Agenda: Citizenship, PSHE and Sustainable Development in the Primary Curriculum
Geographical Association 2000
GAIN/GA A Geographical Education: Citizenship and Sustainable Development – An Issue-Based Approach
Geographical Association 1999
DFEE/QCA Geography: The National Curriculum for England
Department for Education and Employment 1999
Steve Rogers
Adviser for Geography and Environmental Education