Education for citizenship and the teaching of democracy in schools

already in many schools where classroom walls and open areas are covered
with artwork made by pupils, illustrative of lessons and projects.
7.9 These are but a few illustrative examples to underline the possibilities. The
potential combinations are many and varied. How these combinations are
identified and approached is ultimately a matter for schools to decide, so
long as they are natural and advantageous to the subjects involved and the
elements of citizenship education in any combinations are clearly identifiable.
7.10 Many schools are able to find time for programmes based on the ideas of
Human Rights, Rights of the Child, Global Citizenship or Sustainable
Development, and the charters or international agreements associated with
them. Others find room simply for a weekly current affairs lesson. All of
these can make and are making (where they occur) significant contributions
to citizenship learning and teaching. In our general aims and learning
outcomes they can all find a valued place; but none on their own can furnish
the comprehensive and sequential citizenship teaching of our advice.
Nonetheless, our strategy allows for considerable variation in the proportion
of time and effort given to different topics and existing programmes.
8 How Citizenship learning can contribute to development of Key Skills
8.1 We recognise the close links between citizenship and ‘the six key skills’
(communication, application of number, information technology, working
with others, improving own learning and performance, and problem solving
and learning) and maintain that citizenship learning can be a relevant and an
appropriate context for pupils’ development and achievement of key skills.
Our proposed learning outcomes provide many opportunities to integrate the
key skills; an approach that would avoid duplication of effort and be of
greater benefit to pupils and schools.
8.2 The first three key skills are at the heart of the learning outcomes across all
four key stages. The key skill of Communication closely relates to the
emphasis in citizenship on discussion and the opportunities for pupils to
develop and practise verbal communication skills from primary school
onward. This should be seen alongside the current emphasis on literacy
which overlaps with the skill in citizenship of gathering and critically
evaluating information and evidence in all forms. There are numerous
opportunities through citizenship learning to help pupils to progress in their
written and verbal communication skills and the ability to develop a
reasoned argument.
8.3 The key skill of Application of Number can also be developed in citizenship
contexts, such as examining electoral systems, opinion polls and statistics
and investigating the current reforms to the electoral system in Britain. The
teaching of citizenship can contribute to the key skill of Information
Technology (IT) by enabling pupils to develop their competence in, for
example, data handling and presentation of information. Good use can be
made of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in teaching
citizenship education where it enables the learning outcomes to be achieved
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