Taking a GCSE in Citizenship provides students with the knowledge and skills to be active and informed citizens. Students gain an understanding of their rights and responsibilities within society, including how government works, the legal system, and how to participate in democratic processes. This allows them to make informed decisions and contribute positively to their community; essentially, it equips them to be engaged and responsible members of society.
Course Content:
Theme 1 -Living together in the UK
Students are introduced to the idea that the UK is a diverse society of many different communities and groups who live together. They explore the nature of identity and multiple identities as well as how and why communities are changing. They consider the democratic rights, freedoms and values that we share, including human rights and the challenge of balancing competing rights.
Theme 2 – Democracy at work in the UK
Students explore the idea of representative, parliamentary democracy in the UK including the voting and electoral system, the roles and responsibilities of MPs and how government is organised and kept in check. They will also consider the role of parliament in making and shaping law; the government’s role in managing public money; and how power is organised across the constituent parts of the UK.
Theme C – Law and Justice
Students explore why we need laws and how law affects us in our everyday lives. They consider how the justice system in England and Wales works in practice including the roles and power of the police and the courts. They also learn about the distinctive features of the criminal, civil and youth justice systems and some of the different approaches to settling disputes, addressing inequality, changing behaviour and tackling crime in society.
Theme D –Power and Influence
In this section students revisit key ideas about democracy, rights and responsibilities in Themes A–C as they explore ideas about power. In particular they consider power in relation to the ways in which citizens, governments and the media exercise power and influence in a range of local to global situations. They contrast representative democracy in the UK with a non-democratic political system and the limits this places on the rights and freedoms of citizens.
Theme E – Citizenship in Action
Students will also carry out an in-depth, critical investigation into any aspect of the course. Students must carry out an in-depth, critical investigation leading to citizenship action as described above. The investigation and action can be based on any aspect or issue arising from the course content and should be designed to have an impact locally, nationally or globally.
The course is 100% exam based with two papers covering the entirety of the course, Questions include multiple choice, short response, interpreting sources and longer essay style questions.
A GCSE in Citizenship will provide students with a strong foundation for a number of A-Level subjects, including Law, Politics and Sociology. It can also lead to a wide range of future careers, such as law, civil service, politics and journalism.