Make Space for Citizenship
Citizenship education matters. It prepares students to engage meaningfully in society, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to participate in democracy, understand their rights, and navigate the challenges of our modern world. Yet, in a crowded curriculum, Citizenship education is often sidelined. The Make Space for Citizenship campaign aims to change that.
Why Citizenship Education?
At a time of growing social and political challenges—ranging from misinformation to climate change—it is more important than ever to educate students about their role in shaping a democratic society. Citizenship education empowers young people to:
- Understand democracy, politics, and the law
- Think critically and be prepared to challenge misinformation, hate and discrimination
- Engage with issues like sustainability, equality, and human rights
- Play an active role in their communities by understanding their rights and responsibilities.
The Challenge
Despite Citizenship being a statutory subject in secondary schools and having a non-statutory programme of study for use in primary education, it is too often marginalised. Some schools struggle to fit it into their timetables, leaving teachers and students without the space they need to explore the essential knowledge, concepts and issues in depth.
Without prioritising Citizenship education, we risk raising a generation that lacks the knowledge and skills needed to engage with the democratic processes, political and societal issues that affect their lives and communities.
Our Call to Action
The Make Space for Citizenship campaign calls on schools, policymakers, and education leaders to:
- Guarantee learners their entitlement to the subject with curriculum space and time for Citizenship in every school
- Ensure Citizenship is taught by specialist teachers with the resources they need
- Treat Citizenship with the same importance and status as other core subjects
- Strengthen Citizenship education in primary schools to build early engagement with democratic values.
How You Can Support the Campaign
Join us in ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to become an informed and active citizen. Here’s how you can help:
- Educators and teachers: Advocate for the importance of Citizenship in meeting the aims of broad and balanced education, with curriculum time and resources needed to ensure your school is meeting National Curriculum subject requirements
- Parents and Carers: Ask your child’s school how Citizenship is being taught and which topics are prioritised. Support the inclusion of Citizenship as a core part of their education
- Policymakers and Educational Leaders: Support policies that expand Citizenship education and provide teachers with the training and resources they need.
Shaping Our Response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review
ACT’s activities, consultations, and events have contributed to developing a robust response to the Department for Education’s Curriculum and Assessment Review. We believe this review offers an unprecedented opportunity to secure Citizenship’s place in the curriculum as a high-quality, statutory subject that prepares young people to thrive in society.
To read a summary of our response click the button below.
