Rationale
Citizenship
helps children to develop as members of school, local, regional, national and
global communities. It is concerned with issues of right and wrong, rights and
responsibilities, fairness, rules and laws, power and authority, equality and
difference, communities and identities, democracy, conflict and cooperation. As
children grow and develop, citizenship helps them to think and talk about
issues relating to these concepts as they encounter them in their own lives and
in the lives of others, and as depicted in the media and in literature.
The children at Greenway must be supported in their personal and social development in the following ways;
· By developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of their abilities;
· By preparing to play an active role as citizens;
· By developing a healthy, safer lifestyle;
· By developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people.
· By encouraging them to play a helpful part in their life at school, neighbourhood, communities and the wider world;
To achieve this successfully the school must continue to enhance and develop the educational strategies already embedded to show the children that they all matter and that they can make a difference to the outcome of real-life issues in the life of the school and the wider community.
As a result children at Greenway should be able to have the opportunity to engage at the following three levels.
§ Gaining knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens
§ Developing skills of enquiry and communication
§ Developing skills of participation and responsible action
Aims
During their time at Greenway all pupils will have the opportunity to learn about themselves as growing and changing individuals with their own experiences and ideas, and as members of their communities. They will become more mature, independent and self-confident. They will continue to learn about the wider world and the interdependence of communities within it. They will further develop their sense of social justice and moral responsibility and begin to understand that their own choices and behaviour can affect local, national or global issues and political and social institutions. They will learn how to take part more fully in school and community activities. As they begin to develop into young adults, they will face the changes of puberty and transfer to secondary school with support and encouragement from their school. They will learn how to make more confident and informed choices about their health and environment; to take more responsibility, individually and in a group, for their own learning; and to resist bullying.
It is important to use a range of different teaching styles and practices e.g Alps approach to accommodate and fulfil the different learning styles whether they be visual, auditory or kinaesthetic and to build on children’s work during the foundation stage.
By the
end of the foundation stage most children will have experienced learning
opportunities that promote a disposition and attitudes that enable them to:
·
continue
to be interested, excited and motivated to learn;
·
be
confident to try out new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a familiar
group; and
·
maintain
attention and concentration and sit quietly when appropriate.
They
will be developing self-confidence and self-esteem so that they:
·
respond
to significant experiences, showing a range of feelings when appropriate;
·
have
a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings and are sensitive
to the views, needs and feelings of others; and
·
have
a developing respect for their own cultures and beliefs, and those of other
people.
Children
will be developing positive relationships and be able to:
·
form
good relationships with adults and peers; and
·
work
as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly, understanding
that there need to be agreed values and codes of behaviour for groups of
people, including adults and children, to work together harmoniously.
Through
early learning goals for behaviour and self-control children will:
·
understand
what is right, what is wrong, and why; and
·
consider
the consequences of their words and actions for themselves and others.
They
will be able to take care of themselves, for example showing that they can:
·
dress
and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene; and
·
select
and use resources independently.
They
will have had opportunities to develop a sense of community and learnt to
understand that:
·
people
have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs, which should be treated with
respect; and
·
they
can expect others to treat their different needs, views, cultures and beliefs
with respect.
Greenway will aim to continue to develop the role of each child in an ethos that promotes clear, whole-school values, good relationships within the school and between the school and wider community. There will be opportunities for them to make decisions and take responsibilities that contribute to the running of the school and the management of their own learning.
Methodology
Citizenship education will be, whenever possible, delivered according to the requirements of the National Curriculum programmes of study relating to the Key Stages 1-2 and the QCA/Dfes framework at key stages 1 and 2.
National curriculum subjects and RE can contribute to
citizenship in several ways:
·
delivering content – for example aspects of sustainable
development in geography, or learning about the social, cultural, religious and
ethnic diversity of the societies studied in history;
·
teaching skills – for example skills of analysis in ICT,
group discussion and interaction in English; and
·
importing aspects of citizenship into the subject – for
example using relevant literature in English lessons to add value to both
subjects.
English
In English during key stages 1 and 2, children will be
involved in speaking and listening, group discussion and interaction, drama,
and reading and writing activities that will enable them to develop the
knowledge, skills and understanding necessary as they prepare to play an active
role as citizens.
Children will take turns in discussion, think about the
needs of their listeners, and make contributions relevant to the topic,
learning to vary their contributions to suit the activity and purpose and to
deal positively with opposing points of view. The skills of group participation
learnt through English will help children to take up and sustain different
roles, adapting them to suit different situations.
Drama, story and poetry will be able to provide valuable
opportunities for children to explore unfamiliar situations they encounter in
citizenship, to clarify varied attitudes and values and to consider others’
points of view. Reading will enable children to research and interpret
information from a variety of sources and media. Children will learn – through
listening to television and radio recordings, reading newspapers and magazines
and exploring ICT-based materials, including the internet – that different
sources can present information in different ways.
Mathematics
As children develop knowledge, skills and understanding in
mathematics, they will learn skills of problem-solving and logical reasoning
and begin to develop elementary ideas about proof. They will become
increasingly able to apply learning in mathematics to their everyday life, to
the solution of real problems and to the process of informed decision-making.
Children will learn that mathematics is a global language because it transcends
national and cultural boundaries and can therefore contribute to an
understanding of the world as a global community.
As they develop their mathematical skills, children will be
able to use them to explore issues relating to their communities, health and
the environment. They will begin to use and interpret data and recognise that
data can be used in meaningful or misleading ways. Mathematics at key stage 1
and 2 will help lay the foundation for children to solve a range of significant
problems set in a wide range of contexts and, because of its innate notions of
truth and falsehood, contribute to the development of children’s own notions of
truth and falsehood.
Science
As children study science at key stages 1 and 2, they will
develop knowledge, skills and understanding that contribute to their learning
in citizenship. Specifically, they will learn about ways in which living things
and the environment need protection. They will work together to collect
evidence to help them to answer questions about this and other issues, use
reference materials to investigate them and share and communicate their ideas.
They will learn to apply their knowledge and understanding to aspects of their
own lives and experience and think about the positive and negative effects of
scientific and technological developments on the environment and in other
contexts.
Design and technology
Design and technology will have already helped contribute to
citizenship by helping children to take
part in discussions – with one other person and with the whole class – about
what they like and dislike, as they develop designing and making ideas and
evaluate processes and products.
At key stage 2 children will learn to research and use
information from a number of sources, including ICT-based sources, and to work
collaboratively as a member of a team. They will recognise that the quality of
a product depends on how well it meets its intended purpose, including social,
economic and environmental considerations.
At both key stages children will learn to consider the needs
of people who will use the products they design and make. They will learn to
follow health and safety procedures when working with tools, equipment,
materials and components and those relating to food safety and hygiene.
ICT
ICT at key stages 1 and 2 contributes to citizenship by
enabling children to find, collate and combine information, to make critical
judgements about the quality, accuracy and relevance of the information they
have found and to organise and present their findings to others.
Children will also learn that data can be manipulated, for
example by sorting it, searching on it or changing aspects of it. They will
learn how ICT can be used to control devices and automatically sense and log
data, and how it is used in the wider community.
ICT will help children to share and communicate information
in a variety of ways and to take account of the needs of different audiences as
they do so. They will learn to communicate through making presentations,
publishing, and using e-mail. The internet allows them to communicate with
people from other places and cultures, and to exchange information and ideas.
They may explore issues such as internet safety, including the need to be
careful about giving out personal details to people they do not know.
History
Through history at key stages 1 and 2, children have and
will continue to learn about lives and lifestyles from the recent and more distant
past. They will find out about significant people, events and places, from
Britain and the wider world. They will develop skills that support their
learning in citizenship, for example skills of enquiry and communication. They
will use a variety of sources of information and communicate their ideas
through speaking, writing, drawing and the use of ICT. By the end of key stage
2 some children will be beginning to evaluate evidence and use their findings
to argue for a point of view.
Children will look at history in a variety of ways, for
example from political, economic, technological and scientific, social,
religious, cultural or aesthetic perspectives. They will learn how the past
influences the present, what earlier societies were like, and about the ideas,
beliefs, attitudes and experiences of people in the past. They will begin to
see the diversity of human experiences and understand more about themselves as
individuals and members of society. What they learn will undoubtedly influence
their personal choices, attitudes and values.
Geography
In geography at key stages 1 and 2, children will continue
to develop knowledge, skills and understanding relevant to citizenship. They
will develop skills of enquiry and communication which enable them to research,
reflect on and discuss topical issues, problems and events. As they learn about
places and environments locally (including the school and its immediate
locality) and further afield, they will begin to understand the diversity of
cultures and identities in the United Kingdom and the wider world. Children
will learn to appreciate that they live in an interdependent world and they
will begin to understand that their own actions can have consequences for other
people and places. Geography will provide opportunities for them to learn that
resources can be allocated in different ways and that these economic choices
affect individuals, communities and the sustainability of the environment.
Art and design
Art and design will give children opportunities to work with
others in groups or teams to explore and develop ideas, make images and
artefacts, and evaluate their work. Through this, they will learn to value
different ideas and contributions and develop respect for the opinions of
others. They will learn about the roles and purposes of artists, craftspeople
and designers working in different cultures and will begin to develop an
understanding of how works of art, craft and design reflect personal, social,
political and cultural values and beliefs.
Art and design offers opportunities for children to be
involved in collaborative projects in school and the wider community and to
learn how art, craft and design are part of the local, national and global
communities to which the children belong.
Music
Music promotes personal expression, reflection and emotional
development. As an integral part of culture, past and present, it can help
children to understand themselves and relate to others, forging links between
home, school and the wider communities to which they belong.
During key stages 1 and 2, children will have the opportunity to participate in group or class performance, taking responsibility for their contribution, developing positive relationships with others and recognising the need for different roles within the group. They will learn about and experience music from different times and cultures, which contributes to their appreciation of the range of national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom.
Physical education
At key stages 1 and 2, physical education will support
citizenship by promoting children’s self-reliance, self-discipline, social
responsibility and spirit of adventure. They will learn to value and be
sensitive to individual differences and to take part as members of groups and
teams. They will take on different roles, such as leader or organiser, taking
responsibility for their contribution, facing challenges and making democratic
decisions.
Physical education provides opportunities for children to
learn about other times and cultures, for example through dance activities. It
can provide opportunities for members of the wider community to be involved in
the school and for children to be involved in the community beyond school.
Children will develop an understanding of how to succeed in different
situations, reflecting on and learning to evaluate and recognise their own success and that of
others.
Religious education
RE will contribute to citizenship by providing opportunities
for children to explore what is fair and unfair, recognise what is right and
wrong, and understand and exercise personal, social and moral responsibility.
Many locally agreed syllabuses include the requirement to examine the
consequences of anti-social and aggressive behaviour, such as bullying and
racism, on individuals and communities, and to develop strategies for dealing
with such behaviours and for resolving conflict.
In RE, children will reflect on spiritual, moral, social and
cultural issues, using their imagination to understand other people’s
experiences. It provides a valuable context for children to learn about and
appreciate the range of national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in
the United Kingdom.
MFL
At key stage 2 the teaching of a foreign language will contribute to the understanding of the way that people from different nations and cultures communicate with each other. It will enable them to broaden their horizons and gain confidence to communicate in a foreign language, both on visits abroad and when they are obliged to communicate with a foreign national in their native tongue.
To ensure that children are actively involved in preparing
to play an active role as citizens, they
should progressively have opportunities to:
·
take some responsibility for their
own learning, by making informed choices within learning activities,
reflecting on and recording what they have learnt and achieved and learning how
to set targets to establish next steps;
·
explore and discuss topical issues,
including taking part in group and class discussions relevant to their own
lives, their school and wider communities and issues of global concern, and
beginning to explore how issues affect others in the world;
·
participate in groups of different
sizes and composition, taking on leadership as well as membership roles, sharing
the responsibility for group decisions and contributing to the decision-making
processes of the class and school;
·
explore and discuss the
varied attitudes and values underpinning some of the issues they encounter,
considering social and moral dilemmas and other people’s experiences, thinking
about, and beginning to express, views that are not their own, for example
through role-play;
·
find information and advice, for
example through helplines, and learn to provide information to others;
·
work with adults other than
teachers, using visits and visitors appropriately, meeting and talking to
people from, for example, environmental groups, local, national or
international voluntary organisations, and people who work in the school and
neighbourhood, such as religious leaders, health professionals, emergency
service professionals, local councillors and MPs;
·
work outside the classroom,
becoming actively involved in the decision-making and organisation of the
school and, for example, helping to look after the school environment,
supporting peers or younger children in the playground, taking part in
activities with different members of the school and local community; and
·
take time to reflect on all
their experiences in both the formal and informal curriculum, identifying what
they have learnt and enabling them to transfer that to situations in their own
lives, now and in the future.
It
is important to build up links between explicit citizenship learning in the
classroom and what children can learn through participation in the life of the
school as a whole and through it’s connections with the wider community. At
Greenway the school will continue to improve and further develop the role of
citizenship in the development of each of it’s students.
Inclusion
The statutory inclusion statement in the national
curriculum makes explicit reference to how teachers can enable children to
understand and respect cultural diversity, creating effective learning
environments in which children appreciate and view positively differences in
others, whether these arise from race, gender, ability or disability.
For example, learning environments should be created in
which:
the contribution of all children is valued;
all children feel secure and are able to contribute
effectively;
stereotypical views are challenged and children learn to
appreciate and view positively differences in others;
all forms of bullying and harassment are challenged; and
children are able to participate safely in clothing
appropriate to their religious beliefs.
The motivation and concentration of all children is secured
by:
using teaching approaches
appropriate to different learning styles;
using, where appropriate, a
range of teaching and learning approaches to ensure that learning needs are
properly addressed;
planning work which builds
on their interests and cultural experiences;
planning appropriately
challenging work for children whose ability and understanding are in advance of
their language skills;
using materials which
reflect social and cultural diversity and provide positive images of race,
gender and disability;
using assessment materials
which are free from discrimination and stereotyping in any form; and
taking action to maintain
interest and continuity of learning for children who may be absent for extended
periods of time.
For children who have English as an additional language it
is necessary to:
plan to take account of such factors as the child’s age,
length of time in the country, previous educational experience and skills in
other languages;
build on children’s experiences of language at home and in
the wider community, so that their developing uses of English and other
languages support one another; and
use home or first language, where appropriate.
Approved
by Governing Body:
Review
Date: September
2008