Education for Citizenship
A Portrait of Current Practice in Scottish Schools and Pre-school Centres

Contents

Introduction
The policy context
The Nature of the Scottish Approach to Education for Citizenship
The National Portrait
Education for Citizenship and A Curriculum for Excellence
Encouraging Responsible Citizens
Encouraging Successful Learners
Encouraging Effective Contributors
Encouraging Confident Individuals
Conclusion
Appendix: List of schools included in the HMIE inspection survey of education for citizenship

This material may be copied without further permission by education authorities and education institutions in Scotland for use in self-evaluation and planning.
The report may be produced in part, except for commercial purposes, or in connection with a prospectus or advertisement, provided that the source and date therefore are stated.

Introduction

Education for Citizenship — a portrait of current practice is the first in a series of portraits by HMIE, depicting current practice in key aspects of the Scottish school curriculum. The portrait series is a new initiative by HMIE, flowing from the Improving Scottish Education report¹. It is intended to promote improvements in Scottish education through illustrating effective practice, raising current issues, and stimulating reflection and debate. The series will indicate where there has been significant impact arising from national initiatives, but also where there is scope for further improvement. An important purpose of the portrait series is to relate existing pedagogy and curricular provision to the aspirations of A Curriculum for Excellence (ACfE)². By stimulating debate about pedagogy, the portraits will challenge educators to review the extent to which current practice is successfully promoting the four capacities in all young learners.

The aspirations of education for citizenship in Scotland are entirely consonant with the four capacities of ACfE. Educators are increasingly recognising that for children and young people to become responsible citizens and to participate actively in society, now and as they mature, schools and pre-school centres will need to promote their development as confident individuals, effective contributors and successful learners. ACfE defines clearly the desirable outcomes which should result from effective approaches to education for citizenship. Under the headings of the four capacities, these outcomes should increasingly influence such approaches and provide reference points against which the impact of pedagogy can be evaluated for effectiveness. Many aspects of education for citizenship are embedded in the day-to-day activities of pre-school centres and schools and are encouraging the emotional, personal and social development of pupils. This provides a sound basis on which to build. This portrait illustrates the extent to which these outcomes are being achieved and what more now needs to be done.

The development of citizenship skills is crucial not only for children and young people in schools but also for young people and mature adults undertaking education and training in post-compulsory sectors of education. In addition to this portrait, readers may also find it useful to refer to HMIE’s forthcoming publication ‘Citizenship in Scotland’s Colleges’, prepared on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. This publication sets education for citizenship in the college context, evaluates progress and identifies issues for improvement.

The evidence for this portrait comes from a range of sources, including:

• inspection evidence from a national task on education for citizenship carried out by HMIE during 2004-05;
• case studies of good practice presented at an HMIE national seminar on education for citizenship in October 2005 by a range of pre-school centres, primary and secondary schools; and
• evidence from school inspections.

The Policy Context

Education for citizenship has been an area of developing momentum in Scottish education over the last few years. The policy framework has developed systematically from the following national stimuli.

• Values and citizenship is the fourth of the National Priorities for schools in Scotland, set out in 2000³ in which the role of education in developing a sense of citizenship in children and young people was made clear.
• In 2002, Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) published Education for Citizenship in Scotland: A Paper for Discussion and Development. The then Minister for Education and Young People endorsed the paper as the basis for a national framework for education for citizenship from 3 to 18, namely as:
  • an entitlement for all young people aged 3-18;
  • a key responsibility for all schools and practitioners; and
  • an integral part of every area and of all teaching and learning.
• Annexes A and B of the LTS paper set out clearly aspects of knowledge, understanding and life skills that should underpin education for citizenship.
• To support the implementation of National Priority 4, supporting audit materials were provided by LTS from 2002.
• In 2003, HMIE published Taking a Closer Look at Citizenship to support the process of self-evaluation.
• In 2005, HMIE held a national seminar on good practice in education for citizenship.

By its very nature, education for citizenship relates closely to other national initiatives including those concerned with health education⁴, education for enterprise⁵, and education for sustainable development⁶. The challenge for many pre-school centres and schools has been to implement such initiatives in a way that is clear, manageable and encouraging of a coherent and practical approach to developing young people as active citizens.

The Nature of the Scottish Approach to Education for Citizenship

The approach recommended in Scotland, and developing in many Scottish schools, is to embed citizenship across the curriculum and through the wider life of the school, rather than to teach it as a separate subject. Its fundamental purpose is to prepare young people for political, social, economic, cultural and educational participation in society.

Education for citizenship pervades many aspects of school life.

One of the intentions of education for citizenship is to encourage the development by pupils of personal values and an increasing awareness, as they mature, of widely held social values. ‘Values’ education is a complex and challenging area in which the contribution of the school sits alongside many other influences, including those of the family and the wider community. However, it is a basic tenet of the Scottish approach to education for citizenship that the school can play an important role in developing personal values — political, social, environmental and spiritual — through the experiences it offers and through sustained emphasis on responsible behaviour and concern for others.

Equally, to live in a modern, vibrant democracy, effective programmes of education for citizenship must enable learners to become critical and independent thinkers. This involves challenging young people to think about issues that are relevant to them and so developing their life skills, for example by providing experiences in which they can:

• gather and evaluate evidence from a range of sources of information;
• draw personal conclusions based on that evidence; and
• be able and prepared to communicate and justify their views and standpoints.

The Scottish approach also emphasises promoting citizenship through participation in cultural activity. Creativity, flair and enterprise are essential qualities for citizens of the 21st century. Young people should be made to feel that they can achieve as confident individuals through the arts, including the performing arts, and through sporting activities.

A positive ethos is recognised in many schools as being vital in allowing young people to develop citizenship skills. Pupils feel valued when they have a say. For example, participation in democratic processes, such as in elections for pupils’ councils, can have a positive influence on the life of the school, through motivating pupils to participate in their school community and wider society. It is also becoming increasingly important for schools to play an active role in their communities, not only to broaden the experiences of pupils, but also to reinforce the importance of their role as active citizens who can make a difference.

The National Portrait

What have we achieved?

There are positive and improving features in the developing approach to education for citizenship in Scottish schools. The most significant are as follows.

• Schools are involving young people more in decision making, in many cases through formally constituted pupils’ councils. In schools where this works most effectively, pupils are gaining an enhanced understanding of the principles of democracy and their roles as active citizens.
• Nursery schools and pre-school centres are recognising the importance of involving young children fully in their school community. Some are taking important steps to involve pupils in making decisions about their learning and about wider community activities.
• Where schools take a proactive approach to pupils’ participation, pupils identify more with the activities of the school and its community. Schools are now increasingly realising the positive effect of this participation on pupils’ self-confidence and sense of responsibility. Some education authorities are now extending this by including young people in informing community planning priorities and engaging them at a national level through the Scottish Youth Parliament.
• Schools are adopting an increasing range of approaches to developing pupils’ awareness of environmental issues. The number of pre-school centres, nursery, primary and secondary schools registering as Eco-Schools⁷ is rising significantly. Where, previously, secondary school registrations for Eco-Schools had lagged behind primary and pre-school, the gap is now narrowing. This increased focus on environmental issues is resulting in improvements to the immediate environment of many schools. Many pupils have been heavily involved in regeneration and conservation projects. The direct involvement of parents and other members of the local community in these activities is increasing pupils’ awareness of the important role individuals and groups play within the community.
• The Scottish Executive’s "Determined to Succeed" initiative is encouraging schools to provide enterprise experiences and to develop a sense of creativity in young people. Many schools are taking the opportunity to link charity fund-raising activities to promoting enterprise among young people. An increasing number of schools are forging effective links with local businesses and are using these to promote enterprise and to develop the wider skills of responsible citizenship.
• Schools are well aware of the importance of effective personal and social development (PSD) in order to provide a foundation for learning. Many are now beginning to improve programmes as a result. The systematic inclusion of activities which promote mental and physical health is increasing. Some schools are taking the opportunity to develop pupils’ sense of responsibility, teamwork and organisational skills, for example through the promotion of healthy eating, the organisation of healthy tuck shops and participation in health committees.
• The introduction of cultural co-ordinators and sports co-ordinators by education authorities is beginning to extend the range of opportunities for pupils to develop creativity, confidence and personal and social skills through teamwork in different settings.

What do we need to do better?

Whilst the overall provision for citizenship is developing steadily, pre-school centres and schools should focus particularly on the following aspects to bring about further improvement.

• Although a few schools evaluate the quality of their provision, for example using the HMIE guide to Taking A Closer Look at Citizenship, most still need to review their work in this area to ensure that citizenship is embedded across the curriculum. They need to ensure that
  cross-curricular programmes are planned effectively and that knowledge, skills and values are developed progressively and systematically. The four capacities⁸ can serve as a focus for schools in any such review.
• Approaches to personal and social development (PSD) should include continuity of experience for pupils as they move through pre-school, primary and secondary education. Many pupils participate in citizenship activities at an earlier stage and to a higher level than before. However, progression from stage to stage is often weak. For example, increasing numbers of pupils take on important responsibilities at primary school, but are then unlikely to encounter similar responsibilities again until they reach the senior stages of secondary school.
• Individual school programmes of personal and social education often need more coherence between the content of programmes and other aspects of the curriculum, including health education, the social subjects and religious and moral education. Undue overlap can lead to low levels of challenge and too slow a pace in learning, resulting in disinterest among pupils.
• Schools need to ensure that approaches to the development of pupils’ citizenship skills have a clear focus on the relationship between values and citizenship. Many pupils undertake charitable activities, but there is less evidence of their involvement in directly considering why. For example, in many cases they may be less aware of related issues such as social justice and human rights.
• Most schools are successfully introducing pupils’ councils and, in many cases, pupils are making effective contributions to decisions about aspects of school life, often including environmental or enterprise activities. However, in some schools, too few pupils are involved. In addition it is rare for pupils to have a say in improving the quality of learning experiences provided.
• Many programmes of education for citizenship need to make clearer issues related to global citizenship, in particular the importance of education for sustainability and the need to develop sustainable practices.
• Many community learning and development partnerships bring together voluntary and public agencies to improve facilities and opportunities for young people in the community, but these rarely link clearly with school initiatives on education for citizenship.
• Further continuous professional development is needed so that all staff can play an active role in teaching and consolidating skills in citizenship.

Education for Citizenship and A Curriculum for Excellence

Encouraging Responsible Citizens

The development of a sense of responsibility depends on encouraging pupils to adopt appropriate personal values and on promoting concern and respect for others. The development of such values includes providing both knowledge and understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and first hand experience of citizenship skills. Pupils need to have some knowledge of political, social, economic, environmental and cultural issues. This can be gained through the formal curriculum and by participation in the broader life of the school. Many areas of learning can contribute to developing thoughtful, informed citizens.

Equally, however, the knowledge and understanding gained needs to be put into practice and must be matched by traits such as respect and consideration for others and preparedness to participate and help. Pupils therefore need opportunities to develop the skills of citizenship based on the school’s commitment to the values of education for citizenship and the climate of participation that results. Schools can facilitate pupils’ participation in their learning, with pupils being consulted on how their learning is progressing and possible ways forward. Opportunities to explore pupils’ values can be created to allow pupils to put what they have learned into a wider context.

Examples of effective practice in encouraging responsible citizens through education for citizenship.

In the following examples, pupils have been actively learning about their rights and responsibilities as local and global citizens.

• Some nursery schools have involved children fully in the creation of appropriate rules for their conduct within the nursery. Children have been encouraged to learn the importance of friendships and respect for each other in all aspects of their activities. In all of these cases children have generated their own ideas and have been encouraged to solve problems in small teams. One nursery school encourages respect for the environment by basing its annual open days on the eco-work pursued by the school throughout the rest of the year. Professionals from the local community are invited to participate, informing the nursery children and their parents about many issues related to environmental education, including litter and re-cycling, energy conservation, environmental health and wildlife conservation. Associated primaries are invited to attend, including the future "buddies" of the children who will soon be leaving the nursery.
• A large primary school has been using its personal and social education programme to provide opportunities for pupils to study citizenship. Five themes have been identified, namely: friendship; following rules; community/environment; responding to others; and attitude to work. The themes have allowed pupils to explore the values of citizenship. By Primary 7, the expectation is that pupils will be self-motivated and reflective; and that they will be able to offer opinions based on evidence, understand what democracy is and take some responsibility for their environment. The pupils’ council has discussed the subject of ‘Pupils as good and effective citizens’ and reported to their classes. The class councils have responded to the issues and pupils have made recommendations to the senior management team about opportunities, challenges, responsibilities and behaviour. Parents have received information regarding the citizenship programme in school, with a renewed emphasis on politeness and manners as the main focus. The school actively seeks new opportunities for pupils to have increased responsibility through enterprise projects linked to the community. Pupils’ awareness of their role as global citizens is being developed further through emphasis on recycling.
• A large urban secondary school has taken a holistic approach to the development of education for citizenship. The Eco-Schools programme was initially identified as a suitable vehicle for taking forward an anti-litter initiative. However, when the Health Promoting Schools programme and the Determined to Succeed initiatives were launched, the school realised the need for more coherence. An overarching co-ordinating committee, including pupils, parents, staff, the local authority and local businesses has been established. Pupils are elected by their peers. Important items of business are discussed during PSE classes. Pupils have been actively involved in learning about environmental citizenship, health promotion and economic citizenship. Activities have included the production of an
  eco-code rap; litter picking; the preparation of healthy food for parents’ evenings; peer mentoring; designing healthy meals; designing litter bins in art and design and graphic communication; producing Eco-Cards in social and vocational studies; and helping with programmes to improve staff fitness. The school has also embarked on a Fair Trade initiative, involving working with Fair Trade farmers in Nicaragua. From this the pupils have participated in Fair Trade tuck shops, various Fair Trade groups, and the production of Fair Trade Christmas hampers.
• Several secondary schools have carried out education for citizenship reviews across all departments, to establish where subject areas are contributing to education for citizenship and what cross-curricular links can be made. Where these reviews have been completed, significant progress has been made towards a coherent coverage of education for citizenship.
• A large primary school has organised senior and junior pupils’ councils. Pupils make suggestions to council members or use suggestion boxes. Each classroom has a pupil notice board and class teachers give time for council members to report back. All classes take part in regular discussions where they express thoughts, ideas and opinions. Pupils also use questionnaires to gather opinions. This approach has given pupils the opportunity to participate in the day-to-day life of the school and take responsibility for their education.
• A secondary school has embedded environmental education in the school and departmental improvement plans, developed an Eco-Code and appointed an environment co-ordinating group to draw up an annual action plan for environmental issues.

Encouraging Successful Learners

Pupils’ learning is an important vehicle for developing education for citizenship in pre-school centres and schools. Pupils can develop the life skills of citizenship through a wide range of learning experiences which include curricular and cross curricular programmes. Community involvement is also beneficial in allowing young people to experience their interdependence with other members of society. Classroom experiences and learning outwith the immediate environment of the school can develop life skills for citizenship. Young children learn much through exploration of their immediate environment. Older pupils should be challenged to think critically and creatively, working on tasks collaboratively as well as independently. Opportunities to directly experience citizenship in action should be available to pupils at all levels. These opportunities can directly influence the pupils’ day-to-day lives.

Examples of effective practice in encouraging successful learners through education for citizenship.

• A primary school includes in its vision:
  "Children learn what they live: they acquire their attitudes not through being told what to think but through their experiences. We aim to provide a happy, caring and purposeful environment in which the children can acquire the skills and attitudes they need in order to become happy, caring and purposeful people and in their turn, be able to take responsibility and to make a contribution to the community. Everything we do is in support of this aim."
  This school has organised a number of activities including a mini-forest project, generation of wind power, archaeological excavations and the rearing of trout eggs. Work has included setting up a website about local trees and planting 2000 trees on the school’s grounds. An ongoing project is to set up an area of willow production. The pupils have been involved at every stage. An integral part of the project has also been to highlight the importance of conserving forests and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Through environmental art pupils have increased the amenity value of the site for the community. Through working together with advisors from Scottish Natural Heritage, the RSPB and members of the local community they have produced something valued by the community and been able to add to the local economy.
• Pupils in a secondary school geography department have audited departments across the school to evaluate their education for sustainable development. The results have been discussed with the senior management team with a view to influencing this area of the curriculum. This approach has given pupils the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning and to contribute directly to curriculum development. The audit has enabled discussion between managers and the pupils, leading to a curriculum more suited to the learning needs of the pupils.
• Pupils in a primary school have interpreted local sculptures and considered the materials they are made from. The project has encouraged them to explore art and to be critical and creative in their thoughts. The pupils are developing the confidence to question what is in front of them and take nothing for granted. The project has stimulated thought and challenged pupils to work collaboratively to debate art and the way the materials are being used.
• Many nursery schools and pre-school centres offer sustained encouragement for young children to learn through independent, but safe, exploratory learning and by well supervised use of the local environment as a context for learning. An imaginatively planned curriculum, with good opportunities for personal choice between and within activities, is characteristic of such approaches to encouraging successful learners.

Encouraging Effective Contributors

Effective citizens contribute to society. Schools should promote active participation. Pupils should experience opportunities to be consulted about their day-to-day activities, to be involved with the school community and beyond and to think about the values of others. Sustainability and global citizenship are important values for pupils to learn about and this is often best achieved by participation in schemes such as Eco-Schools.

Pupils can participate via pupils’ councils, consultations and representation on school organisations. Schools can include them in the development planning cycle but pupils should also be involved in the planning of classroom activities and the direction of their own learning. Schools can also develop pupils’ awareness of the importance of participation in the community by encouraging them to become involved in the area in which they live. This approach enables the community to see the pupils as active citizens having a positive impact on society.

Examples of effective practice in encouraging effective contributors through education for citizenship.

• One nursery school has involved pupils fully in the planning of its garden area. The children were consulted on what they would like in their garden and drew plans for the garden which were used in grant applications to businesses for funds for a sensory garden. Sustained emphasis on re-cycling and dealing with litter earned the children an Eco-School green flag award.
• One primary school uses its values explicitly to plan its work with the community. The school has actively involved all members of the school and community in taking citizenship issues forward. One class investigated their own values and the values of others. They interviewed various people in the school and wrote to members of the local community, the Lord Provost, politicians and members of the royal family. The responses were collected, displaying a range of views and providing the children with material for critical thinking and discussion. The pupils hosted focus group meetings for other children and adults in the community to facilitate discussion and agreement about how the values of the school related to those of the community. Other pupils investigated who the "good citizens" of the community were. Pupils launched a campaign, with the support of local shops, businesses, church and families, inviting the public to nominate "good citizens". The pupils scrutinised the nominations and devised criteria to identify those whom they thought deserved recognition. The pupils then planned and organised an awards ceremony for people from the local community at which the good citizens received recognition from the school.
• In a primary school, pupils have been working with UNICEF to develop their understanding of global citizenship. The school has invited Fair Trade representatives to help them in their projects, and links have been made with a school in Ethiopia. The project has developed pupils’ entrepreneurial skills and improved their understanding of interdependence as global citizens. Pupils have used a variety of media to present their work and have been building their understanding of working in teams.
• In a large secondary school, staff have developed a course in education for sustainable development for pupils at S1 and S2. Pupils have been involved in researching and exchanging information with a partner school in Kenya.

Encouraging Confident Individuals

Confident individuals will develop most effectively in an inclusive culture which encourages all pupils to participate in the broader dimensions of school life. Schools and early education establishments can act as models of good practice associated with citizenship. Young people should be able to look at the school and see that all people are treated equally and fairly. The way the school and lessons are organised can reflect the inclusive and participative nature of communities.

An inclusive school culture which encourages individuals to be confident is one which pervades all classroom experiences. All pupils are actively engaged in relevant learning opportunities. There are high expectations from both the pupils and staff. Pupils engage in critical thinking and constructive discussion as a matter of course and are encouraged to adopt enterprising attitudes. All pupils’ learning progresses in an atmosphere characterised by respect for individual learners and their communities. By being a microcosm of good citizenship, schools and early education establishments can instil a sense of purpose in young people that will give them confidence to participate actively in society.

Examples of effective practice in encouraging confident individuals through education for citizenship.

• In order to encourage pupils to make informed choices and see that they are included in what happens in the nursery, an urban nursery school has involved the pupils fully in thinking about the purchasing and location of additional ICT resources. Pupils have gathered information and recorded their findings using digital cameras. Decisions about the new resources were made after the pupils saw the photographs and had a chance to discuss the issues. Votes were cast using post-it notes placed on the photographs. The most important outcome was that the pupils saw the importance of making informed decisions and the impact they can have in their own community.
• Pupils in a primary school were so appalled by the effects of the tsunami they organised a fundraising event themselves. The pupils who generated the idea were charged with responsibility for taking the project forward. The pupils’ initiative was fully supported by the school. The curriculum was adjusted to enable the pupils to plan their fundraising and learn about the people in the areas where the tsunami hit.
• In several schools, pupils have generated enterprising ideas, designed and made products, organised events at which these have been sold and managed the budgets associated with the activity. In a number of cases, schools have been innovative in the ways in which they use the funds generated. For example, a primary school has used the money raised to print posters illustrating key aspects of citizenship. All of these activities have enabled pupils to accept responsibility for themselves and others, make and justify choices, and develop confidence in their abilities to take decisions. Most of the projects have involved working with people outside the school.

Conclusion

Education for citizenship is a vital element in the experience of every young person in Scotland. Encouraging young people to participate actively in a modern society should be at the heart of the curriculum. The particular Scottish approach to education for citizenship has many strengths. It prepares pupils in wide areas of citizenship including political, social, economic and cultural activities. The distinctive way in which education for citizenship is taught in Scotland gives pupils the opportunity to experience citizenship first hand. Many schools have recognised the importance of education for citizenship and are planning carefully to ensure it is embedded within the curriculum and that pupils actively participate in many aspects of school life. The pre-school centres and schools exemplified in this portrait highlight some of the effective practice which is evident in Scotland.

There are many strengths in the system but there is also room to improve. In addition to the advice offered throughout this portrait, schools and education authorities should now consider the following points for action in taking forward their strategies for improving education for citizenship.

• A clearer and more consistent approach is required to education for citizenship and to considering the key role of schools in encouraging responsible personal and social values.
• Systematic curriculum planning should be undertaken to ensure education for citizenship is securely embedded and focused on meeting the needs of all learners, as defined by the four capacities in A Curriculum for Excellence.
• Schools should take the opportunities offered by A Curriculum for Excellence and its scope for greater curriculum flexibility to place education for citizenship in context and allow pupils to experience citizenship directly.

Appendix: List of schools included in the HMIE inspection survey of education for citizenship

HMIE is grateful for the help and cooperation provided by the following educational establishments in providing evidence for this report. Those marked (*) were also visited by HMI during the period of the task.

The following establishments provided workshops for the HMIE Good Practice Conference on Education for Citizenship, held at Stirling in September 2005.

Footnotes

1 Improving Scottish Education. HM Inspectors of Education 2006

2 ACfE - The four capacities: Successful Learners; Confident Individuals; Responsible Citizens; and Effective Contributors

3 Standards In Scotland’s Schools Act 2000

4 Hungry for Success: Scottish Executive Education Department 2002

5 Determined to Succeed: Scottish Executive Education Department 2003

6 Scottish Sustainable Development Forum: Scottish Executive 2001

7 Eco-Schools: The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE): www.eco-schools.org.uk

8 ACfE