In Key Stage 4, students take a more critical and in-depth attitude to learning about democracy, government, British values and how to be an active participant in our modern British society. As students continue their Citizenship into Key Stage 4, our intention is to advance and mature the passion, interest, and political commitment, learning about the complex workings UK Parliament, liabilities, strengths and weaknesses, human rights, UK effectiveness on the world stage and civil liberties including links to the justice system. As the Key Stage 4 curriculum comes together, the intention gives emphasises to the sustained advance on witnessing young people becoming active citizens and campaigners in their local, national, and global community.

At Sheridan School our approach to teaching Citizenship nurtures and endorses our ethos and beliefs that we empower every student to surpass in a Safe, Caring and Inclusive Environment, to both achieve and succeed. Citizenship is indeed an essential instrument for everyday life. It helps prepare our students to take their place in society as responsible, well-rounded, and importantly, well-informed active citizens; as well as providing a way of viewing and making sense of the world.

At Sheridan School, we deliver a curriculum that:

·        Builds knowledge through personalised learning based upon each student’s individual starting point; it does not leave gaps that then impact on their ability to develop and understand furthermore complex processes.

·        Enables students to make worthwhile connections as a global citizen.

·        Equips students with life skills to apply their Citizenship going forward as responsible adults.

·        Gives students the belief that being confident in their own identity and themselves will benefit them in everyday life.

·        Results in students having the opportunity to leave Sheridan School with a nationally recognised qualification in Citizenship.

Teachers need to be aware of pupil’s EHCP and individual ‘Pupil on a Page’, document. This will inform them of student’s requirements, enhancing teachers’ abilities to use a wide range of strategies to meet pupil’s additional needs, including:

·       Sequenced lessons based on the National Curriculum.

·       Clear, adaptive learning objectives and success criteria.

·       Regular assessment to inform the next stage of learning.  

·       Revision of key knowledge and skills, allowing repetition to embed learning.

·       Provision of coloured backgrounds if needed for teaching resources.

·       The use of concrete manipulatives to secure learning.

·       Regular book scrutiny, learning walks and observations, ensures that standards are set and remain high across the subject.

Our curriculum is frequently reviewed to ensure that it is current and effective, creating continuity and progression in the teaching of Citizenship. Teachers are supported and aided in their teaching practices through regular scheduled meetings or on a one-to-one basis.

This ensures:

·       An awareness of strategies required to enable SEND students to access the full curriculum.

·       Lessons are adapted in many ways to ensure there is appropriate challenge and support for all learners.

·       Awareness of responsibility to ensure additional adults are used in the classroom effectively, in line with the schemes of work.

These meetings also give all teaching staff opportunities to discuss students’ work and progression in Citizenship. Students take assessments at the conclusion of each half-term. This helps to set a personalised target and determine whether they require any interventions. Students can use online learning programmes to further enhance and mature skills that are in line with individually set targets. Throughout the year we continue to assess the students and consolidate learning with end of topic and end of term tests.

The Schemes of Work are linked to Oak Academy, GCSE AQA National Curriculum qualifications and from Year 9 onwards, pupils can participate in the ASDAN Certification Scheme: thus, offering our pupils personalised prescribed adaptation with wider topic options and greater independent choices going forward.

Impact will show:

·        Students demonstrate mastery of what they have been learning. A concept or knowledge has been acquired and embedded when a student can show its relevance and application within the wider arena of the topics covered.  

·        Students can demonstrate accurate recall of specific facts and events that have given rise to the advancement of free speech, identity and democracy.

·        Students can recognise relationships, direct connections and driving forces between topics in Citizenship.

·        Students keen to demonstrate a show a high level of pride in the presentation and understanding of the work.

PSHE: self-awareness, self-care, changing and growing, the World I live in.

Careers: skills, jobs people do, people who can help me, Gatsby benchmarks

School Life: being safe and interacting in a social environment

Science: Biology and the human body, reproduction, puberty

History: learning about the world around me, history and politics of Citizenship objectives

P.E: making people feel welcome, inclusion

Maths: managing money, screen time usage

Literacy: character focus, descriptions and feelings

Computing: relationships online, E-safety

About this unit

This two-lesson unit helps students understand climate change, sustainability, and climate justice through active citizenship. Students explore how environmental challenges impact people differently and why sustainable development is crucial.

The first lesson introduces climate change, climate justice, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through discussions and analysis, students examine global and local responsibilities in tackling these issues. The second lesson focuses on activism, showcasing real changemakers and their methods. Students then develop their own advocacy strategies, practising persuasive communication and considering ways to take action in their communities.

By the end of the unit, students will have a deeper understanding of sustainability issues, the role of collective action, and how they can contribute to environmental and social justice.

National curriculum links
KS3: the roles played by public institutions and voluntary groups in society, and the ways in which citizens work together to improve their communities, including opportunities to participate in school-based activities

KS4: human rights and international law; the different ways in which a citizen can contribute to the improvement of his or her community, to include the opportunity to participate actively in community volunteering, as well as other forms of responsible activity

Citizenship skills
Critical thinking, active citizenship, representing your views to others, evaluation, Informing others’ opinions, collaborative working, making judgements, investigation, debating, advocacy

Citizenship concepts
Fairness and justice, rights, inequalities and participation, sustainability

Building progression
 Other units linked to this theme include:

Year 7: How can we be informed consumers?

Year 8: Who has the power to bring about change in our local communities?

Year 9: Community volunteers or social media influencers – who has most power and influence?

Year 10: How can I be a changemaker in my local community?

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