Term 1: Living Together in the UK
Students are introduced to the idea that the UK is a diverse society of many different communities and groups who live together. They explore the nature of identity and multiple identities as well as how and why communities are changing. They consider the democratic rights, freedoms and values that we share, including human rights and the challenge of balancing competing rights.
End of unit paper 1 section on Theme A.
Active citizen
A person who actively takes responsibility, becomes involved in areas of public concern and tries to make a difference.
Active citizenship
Participating in society to bring about change
Advocacy
Representing or supporting a person or an organisation by writing, speaking or taking action on behalf of that person or organisation.
British values
A set of standards which reflect the ideals of the British society.
By-election
An election to a public office that occurs when a post holder dies or resigns between elections.
Campaigning
Actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim.
Citizenship
Being a citizen of a country and being vested with the rights and responsibilities of that state.
Civil law
Law that deals with disputes between individuals or groups. There are civil courts which award damages (a money payment).
Democracy
A system of government, where the citizens are able to vote in regular and fair elections for representatives, who will make laws and decisions on their behalf.
Demonstration
A public meeting or march protesting against a specific issue.
Equal opportunities
Allowing all people access to the same opportunities, regardless of their disability, religion, age, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.
Human rights
Basic rights and freedoms which all people are entitled to
Interest group
An organisation who try to influence the government to adopt policies on a particular issue.
Local government
A system of government that operates at a local level providing services to its community
Migration
The movement of people between different countries.
Multiple identities
When an individual is able to assume a range of different identities, these may clash.
Multiculturalism
The co-existence of different ethnic races, cultures or religions
Petition
A formal, written request, usually signed by many people, which appeals to the authorities to bring about change in regard to a particular issue.
Pressure group
An organised group of people who take action together to try to bring about change regarding a specific issue.
Public spending
The money spent by the state
Responsibilities
A duty that we are expected to do as a citizen of a country.
Rights
A right is something we are entitled to by law.
Society
The people living together in an ordered community.
Volunteering
When one person gives their own time to help others without being paid.
Develop the individual:
Opportunity to debate and explore identities, rights, values and democracy.
Create a supportive community:
To gain a practical understanding of being an active citizen through contributing to local democracy and taking citizenship action to resolve problems, tackle inequality and improve justice.
Term 2: Living Together in the UK, Democracy at work in the UK
Students continue with Term 1 unit on Living Together in the UK.
Students then complete Theme B: Democracy at work in the UK.
Students explore the idea of representative, parliamentary democracy in the UK including the voting and electoral system, the roles and responsibilities of MPs and how government is organised and kept in check. They will also consider the role of parliament in making and shaping law; the government’s role in managing public money; and how power is organised across the constituent parts of the UK.
End of unit assessment completing the Theme B section of Paper 1.
Active citizen
A person who actively takes responsibility, becomes involved in areas of public concern and tries to make a difference.
Active citizenship
Participating in society to bring about change
Advocacy
Representing or supporting a person or an organisation by writing, speaking or taking action on behalf of that person or organisation.
British values
A set of standards which reflect the ideals of the British society.
By-election
An election to a public office that occurs when a post holder dies or resigns between elections.
Campaigning
Actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim.
Citizenship
Being a citizen of a country and being vested with the rights and responsibilities of that state.
Civil law
Law that deals with disputes between individuals or groups. There are civil courts which award damages (a money payment).
Democracy
A system of government, where the citizens are able to vote in regular and fair elections for representatives, who will make laws and decisions on their behalf.
Demonstration
A public meeting or march protesting against a specific issue.
Equal opportunities
Allowing all people access to the same opportunities, regardless of their disability, religion, age, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.
Human rights
Basic rights and freedoms which all people are entitled to
Interest group
An organisation who try to influence the government to adopt policies on a particular issue.
Local government
A system of government that operates at a local level providing services to its community
Migration
The movement of people between different countries.
Multiple identities
When an individual is able to assume a range of different identities, these may clash.
Multiculturalism
The co-existence of different ethnic races, cultures or religions
Petition
A formal, written request, usually signed by many people, which appeals to the authorities to bring about change in regard to a particular issue.
Pressure group
An organised group of people who take action together to try to bring about change regarding a specific issue.
Public spending
The money spent by the state
Responsibilities
A duty that we are expected to do as a citizen of a country.
Rights
A right is something we are entitled to by law.
Society
The people living together in an ordered community.
Volunteering
When one person gives their own time to help others without being paid.
Coalition
An agreement between political parties to form a government.
Direct democracy
Where the people decide on the policy directly, for example through a vote or referendum on each issue.
Executive
The branch of the Government, which is responsible for putting laws or decisions into effect
First past the post
The voting system used in the UK to elect members of some local councils and members of Parliament, whereby the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins.
General election
When the citizens of a country vote to elect a new government. A general election in the UK usually happens once every 5 years.
Government
The individuals who have been elected to run the state, led by the UK Prime Minister (PM).
House of Commons
An elected body currently consisting of 650 members of Parliament. It is the lower house of Parliament and meets in the Palace of Westminster.
House of Lords
The upper house of Parliament, meeting in the Palace of Westminster. It comprises of life peers and hereditary peers, who scrutinise the bills approved by the House of Commons.
Legislature
The law-making body of the state i.e. the Parliament.
Lobbying
A person or group of people meeting or taking action (e.g. writing letters, demonstrating, petitioning) to try to persuade a politician to take up their cause.
Parliament
The institution of Government in the UK. It comprises of three parts: the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarch.
Prime minister
The head of a government
Referendum
A general vote by the electorate on a single issue which has been referred to them for a direct decision. It is a form of direct democracy
Representative democracy
When the citizens of a country elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
Develop the individual:
Opportunities for developing citizenship skills and taking action.
Create a supportive community:
Researching and debating the effectiveness of democracy in the UK, the extension of voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds or further devolution of power versus independence for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Term 3: Democracy at work in the UK
New DescriptionStudents then complete Theme B: Democracy at work in the UK.
Students explore the idea of representative, parliamentary democracy in the UK including the voting and electoral system, the roles and responsibilities of MPs and how government is organised and kept in check. They will also consider the role of parliament in making and shaping law; the government’s role in managing public money; and how power is organised across the constituent parts of the UK.
End of unit assessment completing the Theme B section of Paper 1.
Active citizen
A person who actively takes responsibility, becomes involved in areas of public concern and tries to make a difference.
Active citizenship
Participating in society to bring about change
Advocacy
Representing or supporting a person or an organisation by writing, speaking or taking action on behalf of that person or organisation.
British values
A set of standards which reflect the ideals of the British society.
By-election
An election to a public office that occurs when a post holder dies or resigns between elections.
Campaigning
Actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim.
Citizenship
Being a citizen of a country and being vested with the rights and responsibilities of that state.
Civil law
Law that deals with disputes between individuals or groups. There are civil courts which award damages (a money payment).
Democracy
A system of government, where the citizens are able to vote in regular and fair elections for representatives, who will make laws and decisions on their behalf.
Demonstration
A public meeting or march protesting against a specific issue.
Equal opportunities
Allowing all people access to the same opportunities, regardless of their disability, religion, age, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.
Human rights
Basic rights and freedoms which all people are entitled to
Interest group
An organisation who try to influence the government to adopt policies on a particular issue.
Local government
A system of government that operates at a local level providing services to its community
Migration
The movement of people between different countries.
Multiple identities
When an individual is able to assume a range of different identities, these may clash.
Multiculturalism
The co-existence of different ethnic races, cultures or religions
Petition
A formal, written request, usually signed by many people, which appeals to the authorities to bring about change in regard to a particular issue.
Pressure group
An organised group of people who take action together to try to bring about change regarding a specific issue.
Public spending
The money spent by the state
Responsibilities
A duty that we are expected to do as a citizen of a country.
Rights
A right is something we are entitled to by law.
Society
The people living together in an ordered community.
Volunteering
When one person gives their own time to help others without being paid.
Coalition
An agreement between political parties to form a government.
Develop the individual:
Opportunities for developing citizenship skills and taking action.
Create a supportive community:
Researching and debating the effectiveness of democracy in the UK, the extension of voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds or further devolution of power versus independence for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Term 4: Law and Justice
Students explore why we need laws and how law affects us in our everyday lives. They consider how the justice system in England and Wales works in practice including the roles and power of the police and the courts. They also learn about the distinctive features of the criminal, civil and youth justice systems and some of the different approaches to settling disputes, addressing inequality, changing behaviour and tackling crime in society.
End of unit assessment covering Theme C section of Paper 1.
British values
A set of standards which reflect the ideals of the British society.
Campaigning
Actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim.
Citizenship
Being a citizen of a country and being vested with the rights and responsibilities of that state.
Civil law
Law that deals with disputes between individuals or groups. There are civil courts which award damages (a money payment).
Democracy
A system of government, where the citizens are able to vote in regular and fair elections for representatives, who will make laws and decisions on their behalf.
Equal opportunities
Allowing all people access to the same opportunities, regardless of their disability, religion, age, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.
Human rights
Basic rights and freedoms which all people are entitled to
Petition
A formal, written request, usually signed by many people, which appeals to the authorities to bring about change in regard to a particular issue.
Public spending
The money spent by the state
Rights
A right is something we are entitled to by law.
Society
The people living together in an ordered community.
Advocacy
Representing or supporting a person or an organisation by writing, speaking or taking action on behalf of that person or organisation.
Censorship
The control of information or ideas within a society.
Common law
Law made by the decisions of judges over the years
Criminal law
Law which deals with individuals who break the law, and which punishes offenders because they have broken laws that Parliament has stated we must all obey.
Devolution
The transfer of some powers from the Government to the Welsh Assembly, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish Parliament.
EU (The European Union)
An economic and political union between a number of European countries, who work closely together
Judiciary
Branch of the state that is responsible for enforcing the law. It comprises Judges and other legal officials.
Juries
A group of local people who are chosen randomly to make a decision in a legal case.
Justice
The fairness as a result of the application of a Law, usually by a judge, in society
Legislature
The law-making body of the state i.e. the Parliament.
Sentencing
The process of giving a punishment to a person found guilty in a court case.
Develop the individual:
Investigating different legal cases, participation in ‘mock’ trials and sentencing decision-making activities, debating whether it is ever right to break the law or whether the justice system treats everyone fairly
Create a supportive community:
Students could undertake citizenship action or campaigns to address inequality or an injustice.
Term 5: Law and Justice and Revision
Students explore why we need laws and how law affects us in our everyday lives. They consider how the justice system in England and Wales works in practice including the roles and power of the police and the courts. They also learn about the distinctive features of the criminal, civil and youth justice systems and some of the different approaches to settling disputes, addressing inequality, changing behaviour and tackling crime in society.
Students will revise key content covered this year to prepare for their End of Year Exam.
End of Year exam - Paper 1.
British values
A set of standards which reflect the ideals of the British society.
Campaigning
Actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim.
Citizenship
Being a citizen of a country and being vested with the rights and responsibilities of that state.
Civil law
Law that deals with disputes between individuals or groups. There are civil courts which award damages (a money payment).
Democracy
A system of government, where the citizens are able to vote in regular and fair elections for representatives, who will make laws and decisions on their behalf.
Equal opportunities
Allowing all people access to the same opportunities, regardless of their disability, religion, age, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.
Human rights
Basic rights and freedoms which all people are entitled to
Petition
A formal, written request, usually signed by many people, which appeals to the authorities to bring about change in regard to a particular issue.
Public spending
The money spent by the state
Rights
A right is something we are entitled to by law.
Society
The people living together in an ordered community.
Advocacy
Representing or supporting a person or an organisation by writing, speaking or taking action on behalf of that person or organisation.
Censorship
The control of information or ideas within a society.
Common law
Law made by the decisions of judges over the years
Criminal law
Law which deals with individuals who break the law, and which punishes offenders because they have broken laws that Parliament has stated we must all obey.
Devolution
The transfer of some powers from the Government to the Welsh Assembly, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish Parliament.
EU (The European Union)
An economic and political union between a number of European countries, who work closely together
Judiciary
Branch of the state that is responsible for enforcing the law. It comprises Judges and other legal officials.
Juries
A group of local people who are chosen randomly to make a decision in a legal case.
Justice
The fairness as a result of the application of a Law, usually by a judge, in society
Legislature
The law-making body of the state i.e. the Parliament.
Sentencing
The process of giving a punishment to a person found guilty in a court case.
Develop the individual:
Investigating different legal cases, participation in ‘mock’ trials and sentencing decision-making activities, debating whether it is ever right to break the law or whether the justice system treats everyone fairly
Create a supportive community:
Students could undertake citizenship action or campaigns to address inequality or an injustice.
Term 6: Revision and Power and Influence
Revising key content over the year.
Beginning Theme D: Power and Influence content.
In this section students revisit key ideas about democracy, rights and responsibilities in Themes A–C as they explore ideas about power. In particular they consider power in relation to the ways in which citizens, governments and the media exercise power and influence in a range of local to global situations. They contrast representative democracy in the UK with a non-democratic political system and the limits this places on the rights and freedoms of citizens.
Knowledge quiz and exam-style essay question.
British values
A set of standards which reflect the ideals of the British society.
Campaigning
Actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim.
Citizenship
Being a citizen of a country and being vested with the rights and responsibilities of that state.
Civil law
Law that deals with disputes between individuals or groups. There are civil courts which award damages (a money payment).
Democracy
A system of government, where the citizens are able to vote in regular and fair elections for representatives, who will make laws and decisions on their behalf.
Human rights
Basic rights and freedoms which all people are entitled to
Public spending
The money spent by the state
Rights
A right is something we are entitled to by law.
Society
The people living together in an ordered community.
Advocacy
Representing or supporting a person or an organisation by writing, speaking or taking action on behalf of that person or organisation.
Censorship
The control of information or ideas within a society.
Common law
Law made by the decisions of judges over the years
Devolution
The transfer of some powers from the Government to the Welsh Assembly, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish Parliament.
EU (The European Union)
An economic and political union between a number of European countries, who work closely together
Legislature
The law-making body of the state i.e. the Parliament.
Charities
Local, national or international organisations which are set up to help those in need. The term also has a legal status as charities registered with the Government receive some tax benefits.
Commonwealth
An international association between the UK and the countries which were previously part of the British Empire.
Council of Europe
An intergovernmental organisation founded in 1949, which encourages European countries to cooperate with each other. It is an independent body and should not be confused with the European Union, which is a completely separate organisation.
Demonstration
A public meeting or march protesting against a specific issue
Devolution
The transfer of some powers from the Government to the Welsh Assembly, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish Parliament.
The media
Mass media – television, radio and printed media which can reach a large number of people. New media – the internet and social media.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)
An international military defence organisation comprising of different countries who work together to try and settle disputes amongst nations.
NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation)
A non-profit, voluntary group of citizens who work on a local, national or international level to achieve an aim. They are not controlled by the government, but will often work closely with them. An example of an NGO is Save the Children.
Police
An official state organisation which is responsible for maintaining public order by preventing and detecting crime.
Pressure group
An organised group of people who take action together to try to bring about change regarding a specific issue.
Trade unions
A group of workers in the same trade or profession who have joined together to protect their rights.
UN (United Nations)
An international organisation comprising of most countries in the world which aims to promote peace, security and international cooperation. The UK is a permanent member of the Security Council with the ability to veto any decision.
Volunteering
When one person gives their own time to help others without being paid.
Voter apathy
When a lot of people decide not to vote in an election.
WTO (World Trade Organization)
An international organisation which deals with the global rules of trade between nations.
Develop the individual:
Examining ways in which citizens co-operate to try and improve society and democracy through different kinds of political and citizen actions.
Create a supportive community:
Investigating global issues and problems facing society from the environment to humanitarian and conflict situations.