At Pendle Community High School, citizenship is embedded into the school’s varied curriculum, the wider enriched curriculum, assemblies and the various culture capital opportunities available. This supports pupils to mature and develop into individuals with their own  experiences, thoughts and opinions. Pupils will become more independent, self-confident and learn about the wider world and global interdependence. They will further develop their sense of social justice and moral responsibility and begin to understand that their choices and behaviour can affect local, national or global issues, political and social institutions.

Citizenship education helps to provide pupils with knowledge, skills and understanding and by encouraging them to take part in school and community activities they will be supported to become active members of their community. The curriculum aims for pupils to become young citizens with some understanding of environmental issues and current affairs such as homelessness, refugees and charities. They will explore the roles played by public institutions and voluntary groups in society, and the ways in which citizens work together to improve their communities.

Citizenship at Pendle Community High School is planned throughout the year to include annual events, current affairs and to consider aspects of life such as the police, laws, parliament, the monarch, function of money and human rights. Existing knowledge is checked before each new topic assuring that teaching is planned accordingly from the pupils’ starting points. The cyclical nature of the curriculum means that the majority of these topics are repeated annually to ensure pupils can achieve depth and progression in their learning.

Citizenship lessons provide a safe and supportive learning environment for pupils to begin to develop the confidence to ask questions, challenge the information they are offered, express their views and opinions, listen to other perspectives and begin to develop social awareness and responsibility.

As a pupil progresses through the school, they develop an understanding and appreciation of the concept of being an active citizen. The knowledge taught in citizenship activities are transferable and support pupils to do more and engage more in other curriculum areas. Teachers have high expectations and evidence of this is demonstrated in progress data. Impact is also recognised in pupils’ contributions, questions and enthusiasm in lessons, participation in themed days and assemblies where pupils demonstrate what they know and remember.

Pupils further develop their abilities in the 4 key drivers of the curriculum as well as improving their enquiry and oracy skills. Some pupils will become more confident in expressing views and opinions of topics and events in the world around them. The depth of knowledge that pupils will attain will vary but all will demonstrate progress from their individual starting points. Pupils will have also learnt about careers and related work opportunities that are accessible for them in the local and wider community. This is enhanced by visitors to school and educational visits which provide opportunities for further relevant and contextual learning.