At Brookhaven, Citizenship enables pupils to develop the knowledge, vocabulary and skills they need to understand the society they live in and the role they can play within it.
Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, pupils learn about democracy, rights, law, justice, equality, finance, media, government and active citizenship. The curriculum supports pupils to think critically, listen to different viewpoints, take part in discussion and debate, and understand how citizens can contribute positively to their school, local community and wider society. This reflects the programme's stated aim of preparing pupils to participate responsibly and effectively in public and democratic life.
Informed, responsible and active citizens
Citizenship at Brookhaven is not simply about learning information; it is about helping pupils understand how society works and how they can be informed, responsible and active citizens. Pupils are taught about rules, laws, justice, democracy, government, citizens' rights and responsibilities, and how citizens can challenge injustice or bring about positive change.
The curriculum also supports pupils to develop financial awareness, including the ability to manage money, understand saving, budgeting, borrowing, financial products, taxation and how personal financial decisions link to wider society and the economy.
For our pupils, Citizenship provides structured opportunities to build confidence, civic understanding, communication, decision-making and responsible participation. It helps pupils understand that their voice matters, that they have rights and responsibilities, and that they can make meaningful contributions to the communities they belong to.
What is Citizenship?
Citizenship is a discrete curriculum area that teaches pupils about how society, democracy, law, rights, finance, media and government work.
It supports pupils to understand their place in society and to develop the knowledge and skills needed to participate as informed and responsible citizens. The programme we are using is structured around clear curriculum principles: it is knowledge and vocabulary rich, sequenced and coherent, flexible, accessible, diverse and evidence-informed.
Citizenship is organised through key curriculum threads which help pupils build knowledge over time. These threads are:
Identities and communities
Belonging, diversity, identity, community and social change.
Rights, justice and the law
Rights, fairness, crime, law, justice and equality.
Politics, parliament and government
Democracy, elections, government, parliament and political participation.
Finance and the economy
Money management, financial decision-making, taxation, economy and public spending.
Role of media and digital democracy
Media literacy, misinformation, free press and digital participation.
UK and the wider world
Migration, global issues, human rights and international responsibility.
Active citizenship, making a positive difference
Voice, action, campaigning, community involvement and democratic engagement.
These threads are used to connect units across the curriculum and build a common body of knowledge over time.
Citizenship and Learning for Life
Citizenship and Learning for Life (LFL) both contribute to pupils' personal development, but they do this in different ways. They should complement each other, not repeat the same learning.
| Area | Citizenship | Learning for Life |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | To teach pupils how society works and how they can participate as informed, responsible and active citizens. | To support pupils' personal development, emotional regulation, self-awareness, independence and preparation for adulthood. |
| Curriculum focus | Democracy, law, rights, justice, government, media, finance, equality, community action and civic responsibility. | Emotional regulation, wellbeing, self-knowledge, communication, relationships, independence, personal progress and preparation for adult life. |
| Type of knowledge | Civic, political, legal, social and economic knowledge. | Personal, social, emotional and life-skills knowledge. |
| Pupil question | “How does society work, and how can I take part?” | “How do I understand myself, manage my needs and develop independence?” |
| Examples of learning | Local democracy, voting, rights, discrimination, law, government, active citizenship projects, media influence, financial systems. | Zones of regulation, self-awareness, personal targets, communication, independence skills, wellbeing strategies and reflection on personal progress. |
| Main outcome | Pupils understand their rights and responsibilities and how to contribute to democratic and community life. | Pupils develop the personal tools, confidence and independence needed to manage daily life and prepare for adulthood. |
| Assessment focus | Knowledge, understanding, discussion, debate, participation, application to real-world civic contexts. | Personal progress, regulation, independence, engagement, reflection and application to individual EHCP-linked outcomes. |
Citizenship teaches pupils about society, democracy and participation. LFL teaches pupils about themselves, their development and their independence.
Money skills and financial education
The Citizenship curriculum includes a clear financial education strand through the thread Finance and the economy. This appears in Year 9 through the unit How can we manage money well?, where pupils explore borrowing, keeping track of money, saving options and consumer rights. It continues into Key Stage 4 through units on the economy, taxation, government spending, risk, debt, income, credit and the relevance of the UK economy to pupils' own lives. It is further developed in Year 11 through financial systems, financial planning, housing, independent living, investment, debt and financial products.
Teachers use Barclays LifeSkills resources to strengthen the practical application of financial education. Barclays LifeSkills provides money skills resources across age ranges and topics including budgeting, needs and wants, saving, borrowing, bank accounts, digital payments, fraud and scams, payslips, tax, pensions, debt, credit scores and financial planning.
- Year 9: How can we manage money well?Budgeting, saving, borrowing, fraud, consumer rights
- Year 10: How does the economy work?Tax, public spending, government finance
- Year 10: What has the UK economy got to do with me?Income, debt, credit, taxation, future decisions
- Year 11: How do we look after an ageing population?Financial systems, planning, pensions and future responsibility
- Year 11: How can we prepare well for financial decision making?Housing, financial products, independent living, debt and advice
Want to know more?
We are always happy to talk about the Citizenship curriculum and how it supports your child.
