Subject content

Citizenship studies investigates how the citizen is enabled by society to play a full and active part and how citizens are empowered to effect change within society. Citizenship understanding develops through the knowledge of how a society operates and functions and its underlying values.

The overarching theme of this specification is ‘How citizens can try to make a difference’. This aim is supported by three content themes: Life in modern Britain, Rights and responsibilities and Politics and participation. The skills, processes and methods underpin the specification.

The first theme, Life in modern Britain, looks at the make-up and dynamics of contemporary society, what it means to be British, as well as the role of the media and the UK’s role on the world stage.

The second theme, Rights and responsibilities, looks at the nature of laws, rights and responsibilities within the UK and has a global aspect due to the nature of international laws, treaties and agreements by which the UK abides.

The third theme, Politics and participation, aims to give the student, through an understanding of the political process, the knowledge and skills necessary to understand how to resolve issues, bring about change, and how the empowered citizen is at the heart of our society.

The opening section of each theme outlines the ‘key concepts’. This is followed by four questions with associated content. The final key question of each theme relates to how citizens can try to make a difference.

These key questions enable students to study the content and frame their learning through the application of the citizenship skills, processes and methods listed below.

Within each of these themes there is a requirement that students develop and apply citizenship skills and gain an understanding of the following processes and methods related to issues arising from the subject content.