NATIONAL CURRICULUM
The Ecclesbourne School follows the National Curriculum
Curriculum Intent
What is statutory?
Citizenship is statutory at secondary schools from Years 7-11. It is part of the National Curriculum, DfE guidance is from September 2013.
The teaching of RE at key stage 4 is a statutory requirement for all academies in England and is a necessary part of a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ (Derbyshire Agreed Syllabus, 2020).
What are our aims?
The aim of Citizenship is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and understanding to become responsible and active citizens in a global world. We follow the National Curriculum for Citizenship 2012 as part of our broad and balanced curriculum.
The national curriculum for citizenship aims to ensure that all pupils should be taught about:
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the development of the political system of democratic government in the United Kingdom, including the roles of citizens, Parliament and the monarch
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the operation of Parliament, including voting and elections, and the role of political parties
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the precious liberties enjoyed by the citizens of the United Kingdom
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the nature of rules and laws and the justice system, including the role of the police and the operation of courts and tribunals
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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
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the functions and uses of money, the importance and practice of budgeting, and managing risk
This curriculum encompasses British Values and provides opportunities to develop SMSC learning.
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Students will learn to respect the views, needs and rights of others, including people of different genders, ages and cultures to themselves.
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Students have the opportunity to broaden, extend and challenge their knowledge, values and skills to prepare them for life in modern Britain, with the aim of making students productive citizens.
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Within the Fundamental British Values aspects of the curriculum pupils are able to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England as well as accepting responsibility for their behaviour, showing initiative, and understanding how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality of the school and to society more widely.
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We recognise and firmly believe that the development of pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally plays a significant part not only in their ability to learn and achieve but in their ability to relate fully to, and have the ability to, access the world they live in.
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High standards of personal behaviour including a positive caring attitude towards other people, an understanding of their social and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the diversity and richness of other cultures are all critical skills and dispositions that we nurture, encourage and develop through this subject and the wider curriculum.
The teaching of RE at key stage 4 is a statutory requirement for all academies in England and is a necessary part of a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ (Derbyshire Agreed Syllabus, 2020). At Ecclesbourne School we combine RE themes with British Values, examining how beliefs, traditions and values affect the society in which we live. In addition, core RE promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of our students.
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Core RE helps our students understand the society and world in which we live, by looking at the diversity of beliefs, traditions and values that exist in within it.
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The course aims to challenge young people’s ideas about belief, values, purpose and truth, enabling them to form their own opinions on fundamental questions.
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The format of the course encourages students to develop critical thinking and how to balance their own views with those of others.
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They become aware that the religious traditions of the UK are, in the main, Christian, but that it is a diverse society, with other religions and traditions present and thriving.
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They will also learn about the rise of secularism in the UK society and reflect on the impact of that, considering the sociological and psychological benefits, or otherwise, of religion.
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The course is designed so that all ideas are applied to different case studies, to ensure that the ideas learnt don’t remain abstract, but are instead understood in a concrete way by our students.
