Citizenship

GCSE (Year 10 and 11)

Citizenship Studies at HHS looks to explore what it means to be a citizen in society today. How does society work? How can we effect change in society today? What does it mean to be an active citizen within British society?

At the root of Citizenship is the question “How citizens can try to make a difference”. This is done with not only theories and classwork but also by going out into society to investigate a variety of enquiry questions based on a scheme of work. Throughout the GCSE course, pupils will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to think critically and play a positive role in public life. Students will be expected to keep up to date with local, national and global affairs as well as actively participate in class discussions and debates with open minds.

Citizenship is an excellent opportunity for students to learn about the structure of British society, and how underlying British values impact on everyday life. They will understand how British values shape our everyday lives, and how they can make a difference. Citizenship will allow students to critically analyse the news and current affairs and gain rewarding skills such as critical analysis, resolution and an understanding of how democratic societies, like Britain, function.

Pupils who choose Citizenship GCSE will be able to understand the inner workings of today’s society, which can be a perfect introduction to potential future further education pathways such as Government and Politics A-Level, and Politics, International Relations or Law degrees at university.

There are five components to the GCSE, spread across two papers. We start the scheme of work by understanding the core citizenship skills, methods and processes which enable students to excel at the topics in their GCSE examinations. Paper 1 focuses on the topics of Active Citizenship and Politics and Participation. Paper 2 focuses on the topics Life in Modern Britain and Rights and Responsibilities. Within each of these themes, students are required to develop and apply citizenship skills and gain an understanding of the processes and methods related to issues arising from the subject content.