Citizenship

Citizenship

Citizenship Studies is concerned with the kind of society we live in and want to influence and develop. It covers, too, the role of the public and private organisations in the process. School courses help prepare students to become active citizens. The best of them promote students’ personal and social development, and make them more self-confident and responsible, in the classroom and beyond.

All external examination courses emphasise developing awareness of the role of citizens in a variety of contexts.

Just about any educational visit will contribute to the students’ exploration of new experiences and new ideas about being a ‘citizen’, but venues and activities that bring students into contact with other communities, other social contexts and other attitudes will be particularly exciting. Many museums and venues specialise in giving hands-on experiences of what some aspects of life in earlier centuries was actually like. These tend to be attractive to primary school groups.

Secondary groups often visit civic centres and attend local council meetings. Both primary and secondary groups will be welcome at churches, chapels, synagogues, mosques and temple, some of which offer programmes of talks and exhibitions. In cities this is relatively easy to arrange but even in rural communities priests and lay church people are prepared to help schools.

The Citizenship Foundation would be an excellent starting point. It claims to help 80% of secondary schools to nurture citizenship, and sets out to inspire young people to contribute to society. The Association for Citizenship Teaching also provides advice and teaching resources, while the National Centre for Citizenship and the Law delivers law and justice education at national heritage sites.

 

Main organisations:

Citizenship Foundation 

Association for Citizenship Teaching

National Centre for Citizenship and the Law

PSHE Association

Democratic Life

Hansard Society

Inclusion: NASEN

 

Thought of visiting?

The Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green

National Trust Museum of Childhood, Sudbury, Derbyshire

Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh

The London Museum

The National Archives, Kew

Houses of Parliament

Welsh Assembly

Scottish Parliament

Northern Ireland Assembly

 

Although every visit can result in learning outcomes for Citizenship, for a complete list of venues and providers who deliver specialist courses and activities for this subject see below:

Chartwell

Family home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
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Chartwell was the much-loved Churchill family home and the place from which Sir Winston drew inspiration from 1924 until the end of his life.

The rooms remain much as they were when he lived here, with pictures, books and personal mementoes evoking the career and wide-ranging interests of a great statesman, writer, painter and family man. In particular the room in which he painted hundreds of pictures is a fascinating place to visit, bringing a new perspective to the great statesman.

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Exeter Castle

Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
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The Castle of Exeter stands atop the highest part of the city, within the north-east angle of the city walls. From the reddish colour of the volcanic rock on which it stood, it became known locally as Rougemont Castle.

When Richard III. visited it in 1483, he commended it highly, both for its strength and beauty of situation; but on being told it was called Rougemont, he is said to have mistook the name for Richmond and became uneasy, saying that the end of his days approached; a prophecy having declared that he would not long survive the sight of Richmond.

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Wearyall Hill

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
Overall Rating: 
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Wearyall Hill is an elongated low hill whch lies to the southwest of Glastonbury. It is here that Joseph of Arimathea is said to have placed his staff in the ground when he landed all-wear from his journey from the Holy Land. His staff sprouted and became the Holy Thorn, the descendants of which still blossom today at Christmastide. A cutting of the Holy Thorn is sent just before each Christmas to the Queen's table. 

The hill is open to the public. The Holy Thorn was vandalised in December 2010 but it is hoped that with proper care it will regrow its crown.

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The Hill House

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
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High on a hill in Helensburgh, overlooking the River Clyde, sits what is universally regarded as Charles Rennie Mackintosh's finest domestic creation.

Education visits can be arranged. Morning visits can last from 1.5 to 2 hours. Morning visits are available for pre-booked groups by phoning or e-mailing the Hill House.

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Mr Straw's House

Ordinary house, extraordinary home
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
0

Step back in time to the 1920s and discover how a grocer's family lived in a Midlands market town through their furnishings and household objects.

The modest semi-detached house at number 7, Blyth Grove has remained virtually unchanged since the Straws moved here in 1923. For over 60 years they threw little away and chose to live without many of the modern comforts we take for granted today.

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Bowes Museum

Venue Type: 
Museums
Overall Rating: 
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The Bowes Museum is a hidden treasure, a jewel in the heart of beautiful Teesdale. The magnificent building stands proud in the historic market town of Barnard Castle housing internationally significant collections of fine and decorative arts. Purpose built in the 19th century by John and Joséphine Bowes, the Museum has a wonderful story to tell.

It holds nationally and internationally important collections including paintings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, and silver objets d'art.

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Tintagel Castle

Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
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Set high on the rugged North Cornwall coast, visitors can enjoy dramatic sea views from the castle ruins on the headland and island. Steeped in myths and mystery, this is a spectacular place which has inspired artists and writers throughout history who have associated it with the legend of King Arthur and the story of Tristan and Isolde (Yseult).

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Castle Fraser, Garden & Estate

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
Overall Rating: 
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Castle Fraser is an atmospheric baronial castle dating back to the 15th century and was the ancestral home of the Fraser family. School trips can be arranged over the phone at any time of the year. If the tour is arranged out of season there will be a small fee to cover the cost of staff.

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Kingston Lacy

Elegant country mansion set in attractive formal gardens and extensive parkland
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
Overall Rating: 
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Explore Kingston Lacy, a lavish family home built to resemble an Italian Palace.

There’s plenty to see, from grand, beautifully detailed carvings, to intimate family souvenirs and even strange curiosities such as an ‘I owe you’ note from a king.

An art lover’s dream, take a look at rooms teeming with paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Brueghel. In the Egyptian Room you can discover the largest private collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the UK.

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Dalton Castle

14th-century tower built to assert the authority of the Abbot of Furness Abbey
Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
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The 14th-century tower known as Dalton Castle was formerly the manorial courthouse of Furness Abbey. Here the abbott exercised his right to hold manorial courts and administer justice within the lordship of Furness, as authorised by the abbey's foundation charter of 1127. The building would have contained not only the courtroom and one or two other rooms in which the business of the lordship was transacted, but also a gaol, guardrooms and stores.

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