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"We aim at no less than a change in the political culture of this country both nationally and locally: for people to think of themselves as active citizens, willing able and equipped to have influence in public life." - The Crick Report, Prof. Sir Bernard Crick 1998

Reduced Service in late July and all of August

ACT's office will be operating a reduced service during the summer holidays. To contact us during this time please continue to email ACT staff Millicent Scott, Anna Amanuel and Chris Waller. However, we cannot guarantee an immediate response.

What can you do for Citizenship this summer?

ACT encourages teachers to engage with their MP about Citizenship education! This is the time to remind MPs about our subject and what it can do for young people and communities.

Citizenship education teachers should take this opportunity to keep the new MPs thinking about political literacy, legal literacy, helping young people understand about global economies and active participation and engagement.

The coalition government has made much of the two themes the Big Society and Broken Society. The Big Society relates to active citizens and the Broken Society relates to disengaged citizens. Citizenship education is essential for addressing both these. The Big Society is not just about social action - it is also about democratic renewal...

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All the latest citizenship news & info

ACT on Facebook

28 July 2010

We've just created a new page so please Join us on facebook to show your support for your subject and to get updates from ACT.

Academies Bill Passed

28 July 2010

The government's academies bill yesterday received Royal Assent after being rushed through parliament on Monday. This legislation paves the way for parents, charities and others to set up "free schools" from this September. It also allows the first of the new wave academy schools, free from local authority control, to be in place for September.

Although six Liberal Democrat MPs voted for an amendment calling for more consultation with parents, the bill received Royal Assent yesterday.

Summer recess-take action to tell MPs about Citizenship education

27 July 2010

We believe that education about rights and responsibilities, the law and democracy should be fundamental elements in every young person’s education and in the coming months will be asking all political parties to commit to keeping citizenship education in the curriculum, no matter what kind of reform happens in the future.

We want to show politicians that teachers really care about citizenship and that it can make a positive difference in young people’s lives and in schools.

You can do two things during the Summer recess to help us with this.

1. Write to your MP and tell them about Citizenship education in your intstitution-explain how it is the only entitlement that young people have to gain political and legal understanding and that Citizenship education is all about the 3 C's of Citizenship education-the importance of the curriculum, the culture of the school and the partnership with the community. You can find out how to contact your MP via this list of MPs

2. Add your name to our growing list of supporters at www.democraticlife.org.uk and help us make the case for citizenship!

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Forthcoming Conferences & Events

01 Jun 10 - 31 Dec 10

TEENAGERS EXPLAIN POLITICS ON BBC LEARNING

online

03 Jul 10

Midlands CPD hub Big Saturday

Jurys Inn, Birmingham

10 Jul 10

CPD Certificate "Big Saturday" in Manchester and London regions

See ACT regional pages for North West/Manchester and London

15 Jul 10

Human Rights education CPD

Amnesty Human Rights Action Centre, London

17 Jul 10

CPD Certificate "Big Saturday" in South/South East, North East and Eastern regions

various

19 Nov 10 - 20 Nov 10

Education and Citizenship in a Globalising World

Institute of Education, London

> browse all FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Ask the Experts - Your Questions Answered

Featured Question :-

A teacher recently said to me "My head teacher is a Citizenship education sceptic. What can I do to convince them that Citizenship is about school improvement and not a burden on teachers, the timetable or pupils?"

Millicent Scott

Lets start with the facts; Citizenship is a statutory subject at KS3 and 4, and may get a subject inspection by Ofsted. Student voice is part of a school’s self-evaluation form. Now go on to share the information below in an SLT or Governors meeting.

At the heart of new initiatives in education lies Citizenship; just look at the Big Picture diagram from QCA. The new secondary curriculum aims to develop young people who are successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.

Citizenship builds Personal, Learning & Thinking Skills. Citizenship is an Opening Minds competency. Student voice is at the heart of Personalised Learning.

Citizenship can contribute to the major school policies, for example the Duty to Promote Community Cohesion. Making a positive contribution is central to Every Child Matters.

It is s a subject in its own right. There has been a short course Citizenship Studies GCSE since 2002, AS & A levels from 2008, and there will be a full course GCSE from 2009.

Citizenship pedagogy builds motivation and engagement and happiness! Research shows that students feel most ‘intellectually engaged’ when they have a say in their learning and do things that had an impact on the real world. The ‘World Expert on Happiness’ says happiness is “a sense of participation in determining the content of life.” It also supports human rights and democracy: “All children have the right to a say in all decisions that affect them.” so says Article 12, UN Convention on Rights of the Child.

It improves standards. A study of 12 ‘participative schools’, concluded that they achieved higher GCSE results and lower numbers of exclusion. A school in south east London achieved a 33% improvement in GCSE results after adopting Citizenship as a whole school initiative.

Citizenship’s Role is central in in transforming education. It is a subject which demands specialist teachers like all other subjects. It has a pedagogy charactised by student voice and action and it is more than a subject with the potential to transform the school ethos.

Chris Waller and Pete Pattisson, ACT

> read more Q&A FROM OUR EXPERTS

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Site Last Updated : Thu, 29 Jul 10

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by Ian Livingstone.

Associated Organisations

ACT is the professional subject association for those involved in citizenship education. This website offers resources and information to help you deliver excellent citizenship education.